


blue is the warmest colour

by castielfalls



Category: Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-05-23 19:31:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14940474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielfalls/pseuds/castielfalls
Summary: "the universe has judged me. i asked it for a prize and it told me no."stephen strange is employed by tony stark to be a part of the avengers after steve rogers goes against the accords. meeting the iron man reminds stephen of the things he wishes he had, and that makes him cough up butterflies. he has to confess his love or risk death from hanahaki disease.





	1. before we get started, does anyone want to get out?

**Author's Note:**

> Timelines are altered for plot's sake. Doctor Strange now takes place before Civil War, so Stephen has his powers just in time for CW. Jessica Jones is post-season one, pre-season 2. Everything else remains the same.
> 
> Most of this chapter are rewrites of CW. There isn't too much Ironstrange development yet, but they will bond more in the coming chapters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony employs Stephen Strange, Peter Parker and Jessica Jones, they fight against Team Cap and Jessica and Stephen have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos appreciated!

Stephen Strange is lonely and he absolutely despises love.

Everything he loves has been stripped away one way or another, everything ruined by him. His amazing friendship with Christine had been torn past salvation after he'd started a relationship he realized he could put no effort into. He'd mistaken his platonic love for his friend as romantics and realized his mistake too late. What once consisted of game nights and Chinese takeout dinners had burned into awkward hellos in the hospital hallways. He ruined his career with his arrogance, paying no attention to the road and sentencing his hands to an eternity of tremors.

_Stephen Strange. Stephen Strange. Stephen Strange._ The shaky, misaligned words still haunt him whenever he sees a pen, whenever he catches his hands shake, whenever he sees his awards around the apartment. Because his name was something he once loved and he can no longer bear to write it down. 

His family doesn’t talk to him anymore anyway, not since he told them he was gay. He’d realized it after the failed relationship with Christine, why he couldn’t put himself into the relationship. It had taken him weeks to find the courage. Him, the arrogant doctor, took weeks to find the courage to say two simple words, and it had cost him everyone he loved. He’s heard the tone of a rejected call more than he remembers his family’s voices.

Stephen Strange is lonely.

But he despises love.  He despises what he cannot have.  All because he is too arrogant. So proud and yet so undeserving. Acting higher than angels and yet too small too talk to God.

Stephen despises feeling so small. Being gay has certainly made him feel tinier. Puny, as Thor would put it. He feels like everyone can step on him and he’s fallen so low that he doesn’t have the right to tell them to stop. Because he’s so small and so, so tired.

Normally, Stephen wouldn’t have the time to think about how tired he was. He wouldn’t even have time to breathe, what with every new client at the hospital that begs hours in the operating room that he has to save. Hours where his client’s family howled and sobbed outside because they just loved their relative so much.

With all the light blue operating gowns, the blues of his parents’ eyes, the blue uniforms Christine wore, Stephen has only one conclusion.

Blue is the coldest color and orange is the warmest.

Stephen had come to like orange. The orange of his magic had given him a new sense of purpose, that if he couldn’t save people in the operating room, he could save people anywhere.

He knows there are people just like him out there. People who help in unconventional ways because they failed at doing it conventionally. Tony Stark reinvented Stark Industries to stop making weaponry and came up with Iron Man. He’d visited the museum to see the Captain America exhibition. Steve Rogers wanted to serve in the army to help his country. Being too scrawny and weak, he volunteered for a special program instead which gave him the power he needed to be of use. He’d saved America. 

He failed at being a doctor, but he’s a kickass Master of the Mystic Arts.

For the first time in a long time, Stephen felt love for something once again. For the first time in a long time, Stephen felt useful.

It didn’t matter if he still dropped glasses when he tried to hold more than one. It didn’t matter if he could no longer write his name. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t wear buttoned shirts and it didn’t matter if eating became hardship.

Because he feels free with the orange sparks they call magic.

Because he loves the magic. Because the magic gives him meaning. And so the orange of it had led him to the belief that orange was the warmest color. Orange is love and meaning and familiar and warm and _home_.

Wong is concerned at times. Albeit being a man who refrains from his own material and physical needs in respect of his personal beliefs, Wong tells Stephen that while he’s glad he’s so devoted to the magic, that it is not healthy to participate in the belief that his only purpose in the world was magic. But Wong doesn’t see what Stephen sees, doesn’t feel what he feels.

Wong feels the grandeur of the magic but he doesn’t feel the warmth of it. The Cloak understands. 

“You should find someone,” Wong mentions out of the blue as they’re doing a routine clean-up of the Sanctum Sanctorum. “You have all this spare time. The world isn’t always in danger. It can survive a few hours with you off enjoying yourself.”

“I’m very busy, Wong.”

“Doing what? Practicing spells you’ve mastered long ago?” Wong responds. Stephen doesn’t have a good counterargument so he lets Wong continue on about how as much as the magic is important, Stephen should take care of himself every once in a while.

Stephen’s never heard anything more wrong.

He doesn’t deserve to rest. He doesn’t deserve love. He surrounds himself with the magic because he believes this is all the love he deserves.

Wong doesn’t think orange is the warmest color.

* * *

Tony Stark has a headache and is now in New York in search of ibuprofen.

He's just left Spiderman's apartment in Queens — the young Peter Parker had 'eagerly' agreed to help him fight against Steve Rogers and his team of loyal companions. Eagerly, if you count it after Peter's countless problems and Tony's ready solutions. With Tony's solutions on hand, the boy had been more than happy to assist the Avenger. Tony told him to go for the legs. That idiot uses the shield for the top half of his body only.

The meeting with Peter had been a success, so where is the headache coming from? Said headache is Steve Rogers. Said ibuprofen is the new Avengers he's been looking for. He'd asked FRIDAY to look up super-powered or enhanced people around the country and she'd supplied him with the spider boy from Queens, a strong woman, a bulletproof man and a blind lawyer in Hell's Kitchen and a sorcerer in New York City, specifically the Greenwich Village neighborhood. 

Since Natasha had decided to switch teams last minute and Clint had dropped by to kidnap Wanda, Tony was at a loss. He wanted to outnumber them, hoping that this will cause Team Cap to stand down instead of fight. So far, Peter and Jessica Jones had agreed, Jessica's reason being so that she could 'beat A-hole so hard he'll see all the stars on the flag'. Luke Cage and Matt Murdock had declined, wanting to stay out of it. That leaves the sorcerer. FRIDAY had gone ahead to print the address of the wizard, 177A Bleecker Street.

"177A Bleecker Street, Happy."

* * *

"Turn that off, Wong."

"You're the one that introduced it to me," Wong retorts as he turns up the volume of Beyoncé's Single Ladies. Stephen rolls his eyes as he leaves the library, the Cloak of Levitation settling on his shoulders when a knock on the door cuts through the Sanctum Sanctorum. Surprised by the presence of a visitor, Stephen answers the door while Wong comes up behind him in curiosity.

"Anthony Stark?" Stephen questions. What would a world-famous billionaire want to do with a disabled-neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer? 

Tony waves dismissively, "Call me Tony. Can I come in? Okay." He saunters in casually, glancing around the room, "Wow. Nice place. Bit spooky, but it's cool." 

Wong glares in irritation, "Who said you could enter?"

"Thought you did. You didn't? Well, I've entered already, might as well stay," Tony shrugs. He turns to Stephen, who was shutting the door, and says, "You. Uh, Stephen, right? Yeah, I need to ask you something." 

Stephen narrows his eyes at the intruder, walking up to him, "You barge into the Sanctum Sanctorum and demand to speak to me?" 

Tony pauses before he nods, "I guess."

"What do you want?"

"Well, I don't know if you've heard, but recently there was the failed mission. Then the King of Wakanda died in a terrorist attack perpetrated by Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. A solution was put in place. The Accords, signed by over a hundred countries, where the Avengers will remain inactive unless called upon by higher authorities. I'm for it, Steve Rogers isn't. Now there's an argument," Tony summarizes.

"In short, you're asking me to join your side," Stephen says. 

Tony nods, "Yep. So what'll it be, Doc?" Stephen exchanges a look with Wong and Tony watches them carefully, trying to 'listen in' on their visual conversation but ultimately failing. 

Stephen finally answers, "Fine. I'll join your side. I've always thought the Avengers should be kept in check anyway."

"Perfect. So I have a spider boy, a wizard and a woman with super strength. Nice. God, I get to see a wizard fight a witch."

* * *

Tony finds himself in the Avengers compound with Vision, Rhodey, T'Challa and Stephen. He's waiting on Peter and Jessica before he gives them an overview of the upcoming fight.

"Mr Stark tells me you practice magic," Vision says as a conversation starter, referring to Stephen.

He nods, "Yes, why?" 

Vision indicates the green gem on his necklace before he taps his own yellow one on his forehead, "Are these magic related? Do I possess magic abilities?"

Stephen stares at him curiously before he shakes his head, "I don't think so. Magic is something you learn, not something you gain by owning a stone, unfortunately. I could teach you something sometime, if you wanted." Vision replies to the idea with slight hesitance, to which Stephen is unfazed, all too familiar with the speculation in regards to the topic of magic. Peter bounds into the room then, excited by the faces he's met with. Following close behind him is Jessica, dressed in a dark leather jacket and looking sick and tired of everything.

"Okay, great. Everyone's here. Right, so just to get introductions out of the way. This is James Rhodes the War Machine but we call him Rhodey. Vision, King T'Challa who's the Black Panther, Doctor Stephen Strange, Peter Parker who's Spiderman and Jessica Jones," Tony fires off as Peter sits himself down next to the wizard, Jessica collapsing ungracefully into a chair. T'Challa gives her a strange look as Jessica raises a challenging eyebrow in return before turning her gaze to Tony.

"You're here because you either support the Accords or you just want to beat the shit out of someone," Tony starts, and T'Challa and Jessica both abort their random rivalry for a smirk of solidarity. T'Challa had a grudge against Bucky, and Jessica just had a grudge against everyone. She wants the Avengers in check because she's constantly blamed for the mess they make, so now that something like that is in place, the only ones who are her enemies are the ones against it — Team Cap.

"Strange, magic's your thing, so you should neutralize the Scarlet Witch or something, see if you can disable her for a while. She's the biggest threat on Rogers' team," Tony says and Stephen nods, watching the billionaire giving each member orders on who to fight and what to do, going through plan after plan. The Iron Man is pretty, even the circumstances under which they met doesn't stop Stephen from recognizing and appreciating the fact. He's barely listening at the point, only hearing something about Peter staying far away from everyone before Tony calls his name.

"Strange? Strange. You okay there, man? You just kind of zoned out," Tony snaps his fingers in his direction. The rest of the new Avengers are glancing his way.

Stephen nods quickly, "Yes, yes. Fine. Keep talking."

"Jessica, you can handle the Black Widow and Hawkeye, I'm sure. Maybe Captain America. Can you handle him?" Tony asks.

Jessica nods, "I'll take anyone. But if he's stronger than the average guy, I should probably take him." 

Tony gestures to her to signal that Steve's all hers as T'Challa reminds, "Barnes is mine." Tony replies with a face that says nobody is arguing and he assigns Rhodey, Peter and Vision to nobody in particular before FRIDAY informs Tony that Team Cap have been spotted at an airport garage.

"Mr Dr Strange?" Peter says in his quiet voice.

Stephen raises an eyebrow at the young boy, "Yeah?"

"You've been staring at Mr Stark a lot while he's talking," Peter observes and Stephen stares at him wordlessly, not knowing how to respond before he counters, "Well, it's rude not to look at someone when they're speaking." Peter glances between Tony and Stephen before he settles on an 'okay', jumping over to talk to Jessica who looks more than ready to hurl herself out the nearest window.

Tony Stark speaks to someone on the phone on the balcony, out of earshot. To evacuate the airport, more than likely. He glances about the scenery before he pauses, turning back to the room to count the number of people. His eye catches Stephen’s, and before the doctor can look away, Tony shoots him a meaningless wink before he looks back out at the city.

What was it about his face?

* * *

Steve drives into the sixth level of an airport parking garage, parking his old car by a grey van before getting out. He's greeted by faces he's grown to trust. Clint greets him first, calling him by the nickname he's familiar with, and he says, "You know I wouldn't have called if I had any other choice." 

Clint gives him a grin and answers, "Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides, I owe a debt." 

Steve thanks him for having his back and he gives the scarlet witch a look, where she responds, "It was time to get off my ass."

"How about our other recruit?" Steve asks, nodding towards the grey van. 

Clint replies as he pulls open the side door, "He's rarin' to go. Had to put a little coffee in him, but... he should be good." 

When the door opens fully, the engineer tumbles out, squinting against the sunlight, "What timezone is this?"

He soon recovers when he settles his sights on Steve, completely enraptured by the American legend as he starts shaking his hand, "Captain America." 

Steve shakes his hand politely, "Mr. Lang." 

Scott continues staring at Steve in awe, hands still shaking as he rambles, "It's an honor. I'm shaking your hand too long. Wow! This is awesome! Captain America." — he looks towards Wanda — "I know you, too. You're great!" — he turns back to Steve and feels his strong shoulders — "Jeez. Ah, look, I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super people, so... Thinks for thanking of me. Hey, Falcon!"

Sam answers the overeager man, "What's up, Tic Tac?" 

Scott says nervously, "Uh, good to see you. Look, what happened last time when I..." 

Sam cuts him off, saying, "It was a great audition, but it'll... it'll never happen again."

Steve cuts right to the chase, getting impatient with the overstretched introduction, "They tell you what we're up against?" 

Scott shrugs, "Something about some... psycho-assassins?" 

Steve pauses but doesn't correct him, only saying, "We're outside the law on this one. So, if you come with us, you're a wanted man." Scott responds with nonchalance, like this isn't a new concept to him, and Bucky insists that they should get moving. 

Clint informs them that they have a chopper lined up before German comes through the speakers, where Bucky immediately translates it for them, "They're evacuating the airport." Sam deduces it to be Stark and Scott greets his deduction with surprise before Steve orders the rest to suit up.

* * *

Steve is dressed in the familiar reds, blues and whites of his Captain America uniform. He remembers being told once that he wears a flag on his chest and thinks he fights for his nation. He remembers being told that there are no flags in the future. He remembers telling Tony about that once and when Tony asks him about it, he remembers telling him he doesn’t give a shit.

Steve strides through an underpass and jogs onto a private runway, heading for a grounded chopper. An electro disabler slams onto the chopper and Steve looks up to see red and gold, black and grey, descending. There’s another color combination, one Steve doesn’t recognize yet finds familiar all the same — his reds and blues, duller on the other man, comes down next to Tony. This man bears no star on his chest.

Tony’s mask retracts and he makes a snarky remark, “Wow, it's so weird how you run into people at the airport. Don't you think that's weird?” 

Rhodes agrees and Steve starts, “Hear me out, Tony. That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this.”  Before he can continue or Tony can respond, Steve sees a black figure leap over a truck, greeting, “Captain.” He remembers him. King T’Challa, the Black Panther of Wakanda.

He attacked his boyfriend.

“Your highness.”

“Anyway, Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help an ex out?” Tony says. Steve is just the slightest bit hurt by how easily the term ‘ex’ rolls off Tony’s tongue, but he doesn’t know if it wounds him as much as the new face next to Tony in red and blue.

Red and blue.

“You're after the wrong guy,” Steve says. 

Tony responds, “Your judgment is askew. Your old war boyfriend killed innocent people yesterday.” 

Steve insists, “And there are five more super soldiers just like him. I can't let the doctor find them first, Tony. I can’t.” 

The woman with them, long dark hair and dressed in black, says loudly, “Hey! Flag Waver, you know what's about to happen. Do you really wanna punch your way out of this one?” 

Steve stares at her, unknowing of the new woman in Tony’s arsenal, and Tony rolls his eyes, “All right, I've run out of patience. Underoos!”

Steve’s shield flies off his arm and now there’s web encasing his hands. His eyes squint against the sun to watch his shield attach itself to the arm of a red and blue spider boy. 

Red and blue.

Tony comments that the kid did a nice job and the spider boy starts rambling, “Thanks. Well, I could've stuck the landing a little better. It's just the new suit… Well, it's nothing, Mr. Stark. It’s—It's perfect. Thank you.” 

Tony stares at him in slight annoyance as he says, “Yeah, we don't really need to start a conversation.”  Peter started awkwardly talking about how he’s a big fan of Captain America and that his name is Spider-Man before Tony stops him.

“You've been busy,” Steve says, indicating the three faces he doesn’t recognize.

“And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep… I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart,” Tony says desperately, willing Steve to understand. 

He replies simply, “You did that when you signed.” 

Tony blinks at him, shooting him a cold look before he says, “Alright, We're done. You're gonna turn Barnes over, you're gonna come with us. _Now_! Because it's _us_! Or a squad of J-SOC guys… with no compunction about being impolite. Come on.” Steve looks away and Tony can’t help the pang of hurt in him.

Sam radios Steve and informs him that the Quinjet is in hanger five, north runway. Steve nods to himself and holds his hands up, an arrow cutting through it and setting his hands free, “Alright, Lang.”

Peter is about to warn them before a man appears on the shield and he feels it pulled off his arm. He hears Rhodey ask what the hell that was as the man returns to full size, passing the shield back to Steve, “I believe this is yours, Captain America.” 

Tony glances around and frowns, “Oh, great. Alright, there's two on the parking deck. One of them's Maximoff, Stephen, you’re gonna grab her. Jess, you want to take Cap?” 

Jessica smirks and nods as Rhodey tells them, “Got two in the terminal, Wilson and Barnes.” T’Challa starts running towards the terminal, calling dibs on Barnes.

“Hey, Mr. Stark, what should I do?” Peter asks. 

Tony furrows his eyebrows as if it’s obvious, “What we discussed. Keep your distance. Web 'em up.”

“Okay, copy that!”

Steve blocks T’Challa’s path to Bucky and the king growls, “Move, Captain. I won't ask a second time.”

Scott faces Jessica and he says gently, “Look, I really don't want to hurt you.” 

Jessica smirks and wrings her fists, “I wouldn't stress about it.” She kicks him in the groin and he groans before miniaturizing, throwing her head over heels. Jessica glares in irritation and smacks him off her wrist effortlessly, sending him slamming into a nearby truck and leaving a large dent in its side.

Meanwhile, Bucky and Sam are running in the terminal. Bucky eyes Peter webbing his way outside and he asks, “What the hell is that?” 

Sam spares Peter a glance before he shrugs in bewilderment, “Everyone's got a gimmick now.”  Suddenly, Peter swings through the glass wall and kicks Sam backwards, causing him to crash into a machine. Bucky throws a punch and his eyes widen in surprise as Peter catches his fist with barely any struggle. 

Peter marvels, “You have a metal arm? That is awesome, dude!”  Sam hits Peter who webs out off the way, shouting, “You have the right to remain silent!” In mid-air, Peter fends Sam off and swings after him using his webs.

Tony fires rockets that explode just beyond Clint and Wanda while Stephen traps them with magical binds, orange sparks flying off them.

Steve fights hand to hand with Jessica and he’s frankly taken aback by how well she is keeping up with him. She takes his hits and returns them just as hard with no effort. War Machine locks on to Steve and he says, “Sorry, Cap. This won't kill you but it ain't gonna tickle either.” He smacks Steve's shield with a mace.

“Wanda, I think you hurt Vision's feelings,” Tony says. 

Wanda accuses, “You locked me in my room.” 

Stephen raises an eyebrow and Tony catches it, countering, “Okay. First, that's an exaggeration. Second, I did it to protect you. Hey, Clint.” 

Clint greets him back and Tony asks, “Clearly, retirement doesn't suit you. You got tired of shooting golf?” 

Clint shrugs, “Well, I played 18, I shot 18. Just can't seem to miss.” He fires an arrow and Stephen realizes he’s too slow to deflect it but luckily enough, Tony is fast enough to do so himself. 

Tony cockily remarks, “First time for everything.” 

“Made you look.”

A car slams past Tony. Both Stephen and Tony look up as dozens more come crashing down on them. Wanda directs the cars into their path as Stephen redirects some of them, knocking a few out of Tony’s way before he throws an attack at Wanda. She loses control of the cars and they start falling onto Tony and him. Stephen moves some of the cars with portals and Tony fires at them, but Stephen gets caught under a pile of cars while Tony manages to escape with minimal injury.

“Multiple contusions detected,” FRIDAY informs. 

Tony replies with sarcasm, “Yeah, I detected that too.” 

Clint helps Wanda up and as he aids her in recovering from Stephen’s attack, Tony pushes cars off Stephen and checks on the doctor’s vitals, relieved to see that he’s fine, the Cloak having protecting him.

Peter wings through the rafters in the terminal, chasing Sam who flies backwards firing shots at him. Peter stops on a high beam and dodges as Bucky throws something at him before ducking behind a pillar.

“Hey buddy, I think you lost this!”

Bucky frowns and turns to take a peek, quickly retracting as he realizes that Peter has thrown it back. Sam kicks him off the beam and Peter fires a web which sends Sam crashing to the floor. Peter webs Sam's wrist to a balcony railing as he asks, “Those wings carbon fiber?” 

Sam asks in return, “Is this stuff coming out of you?” 

Peter starts rambling excitedly, “That would explain the rigidity-flexibility ratio, which, gotta say, that's awesome, man.” 

Sam stares at him absently before saying, “I don't know if you've been a fight before but there's usually not this much talking.”

“Alright, sorry, my bad,” Peter swings down and Bucky jumps in the way, causing Peter to send him and Sam crashing through the glass down onto the next floor. Peter webs them to the ground and says, “Guys, look. I'd love to keep this up but I've only got one job here today and I gotta impress Mr. Stark, so, I’m really sorry.” Before he can continue, Redwing drags Peter through the glass wall and he flies out screaming.

Outside, Steve kicks War Machine out of the air, then sends Jessica reeling. War Machine's mace is broken.

“Hey, Cap, heads up!” Scott throws Steve a miniature truck and holds up a device. “Throw it at this. Now!” 

Steve throws the mini truck at Scott’s device and the truck enlarges, tumbling towards War Machine who exclaims in exasperation as the truck lands and explodes. Scott and Steve watch quietly before Scott comments, “Oh, man. I thought it was a water truck.” Steve throws him a strange look and Scott rushes out an insincere apology before they run off, making Rhodey irritated.

Tony helps Jessica up as she asks, “Is this part of the plan?” 

Tony turns to the fight and replies, “Well, my plan was to go easy on them. You wanna switch it up?”

Clint spots the Quinjet and indicates to Wanda, “There’s our ride.” Steve calls out to his team to get moving and they start running towards it before a fizzing stream of energy slices across the runway, stopping them. 

Vision hovers overhead.

“Captain Rogers. I know you believe what you're doing is right. But for the collective good you must surrender now,” Vision says firmly as the rest of Tony’s team arrives, stopping in a line right across from Steve’s. Now that the full team is assembled, Steve takes in the three strangers. The spider boy, the wizard and the super woman.

“What do we do, Cap?” Sam asks.

“We fight.”

Jessica says sarcastically, “This is gonna end well.”

The two teams stride towards each other with grim determination etched on their faces. As they start breaking into runs, Peter realizes, “They're not stopping!” 

Tony replies, “Neither are we.”

Steve blocks a punch as Tony lands. Clint fires an arrow at Vision which Stephen returns with a portal. War Machine flies after Falcon and Bucky trades blows with T'Challa. An explosive arrow misses Tony with Stephen’s help. Jessica throws Scott to the side like he’s nothing as Peter swings through the air, struggling to evade vehicles projected by Wanda. Stephen comes to his aid, providing him portals to jump through to avoid the cars. Bucky manages to score some hits on T’Challa and Clint and Jessica battle fist to fist. Clint pins her down with his bow and Jessica spits in his face as she spins him over with her legs. As she's about to kick his head, her foot stops and glows bright red. Wanda projects Jessica down into rubble.

“You were going all out,” Wanda says in confusion. 

Clint nods, glancing at Jessica, “Yeah, I don’t know how she’s doing it. She ain’t a super soldier like Rogers.”

“I didn't kill your father!” Bucky says.

T’Challa replies bitterly, “Then why did you run?” T'Challa pulls Bucky's hand off his neck and spins him, fly-kicking him backwards. His hands sprout claws and he aims for Bucky's neck before Wanda stops his hand. She waves her arms and sends T'Challa crashing into a passenger gangway just as Stephen sends magical binds wrapping around her, throwing her aside as he prepares another attack.

Peter swings past and Steve snaps the web with his shield, making Peter land and complain, “That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all.” 

Steve warns him, “Look kid. There's a lot going on here that you don't understand.” 

Peter laughs internally, “Mr. Stark said you'd say that. Wow.” He fires webs which stick to Steve's shield and ankle and he pulls, causing Steve to slide towards him. Peter kicks him backwards, then rolls clear. “He also said to go for your legs.” As Steve runs to get his shield, Peter webs his hands and pulls. Steve grits his teeth, using effort and strength to spin and somersault, propelling Peter through the air.

Sam dodges an attack from Tony and he asks, “Clint, can you get him off me?”

Clint nocks an arrow and double checks if Scott is on the tip of the arrow, “Buckled in?” Scott nods in anticipation and excitement as he lies down on his stomach, tightening his grip on the tip of the arrow, “Yeah. No, I'm good. I'm good, Arrow Guy. Let's go. Let's go!” As Clint fires it, the head splits and Tony shoots at the shards. Scott dives between Tony’s splayed fingers and slips inside the Iron Man suit at the shoulder joint.

Steve catches a web and tugs Peter towards him, knocking him down with the shield. Peter recovers and pulls himself up on top of a gangway as Steve asks, “Tony tell you anything else?” 

Peter answers, “That you're wrong. You think you're right. That makes you dangerous.” 

He swings down and Steve leaps to kick him backwards onto the gangway's leg and Steve says, “Guess he had a point.” He throws his shield at the leg and the gangway falls onto Peter who holds it up, albeit with a bit of struggle. Steve smiles, “You got heart, kid. Where're you from?”

“Queens.”

“Brooklyn,” Steve grins, running off and leaving Peter holding the gangway.

Clint fires arrows at the hovering Tony whose arm-lasers malfunction. He automatically asks FRIDAY what’s wrong and she answers, “ _We have some weapon systems offline_.”

“ _Oh, you're gonna have to take this into the shop._ ”

“Who's speaking?” Tony asks.

“ _It's your conscience. We don't talk a lot these days._ ”

“FRIDAY?” Tony calls and she responds, “ _Deploying fire suppression system._ ”  Scott begins sprinting through narrow banks of components, chased by a rolling cloud of carbon dioxide before he gets ejected from the suit.

“We gotta go. That guy's probably in Siberia by now,” Bucky tells Steve.

Steve nods, “We gotta draw out the flyers. I'll take Vision. You get to the jet.” 

Sam cuts in as he’s pursued by Rhodey, “No, you get to the jet! Both of you! The rest of us aren't getting out of here.” 

Clint frowns as he narrowly dodges a possibly-fatal punch from Jessica, “As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it.” 

Sam reminds, “This isn't the real fight, Steve.” 

Steve nods again and asks what’s the play, where Sam says they need a diversion, something big.

“I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half… don't come back for me,” Scott says. Steve looks around to try to locate Scott but fails, assuming that Scott is in his shrunk form. 

Bucky squints in confusion and asks, “He's gonna tear himself in half?” 

Steve shares Bucky’s sentiments and asks, “You're sure about this, Scott?” 

Scott responds, still running and sounding out of breath, “I do it all the time. I mean once… in a lab. Then I passed out. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the _boss_!” 

He leaps from mobile stairs and lands on Rhodey's back as he flies past. He operates his suit's wrist, shuts his eyes and activates a remote. Scott grows into a towering Behemoth and grabs Rhodey's leg, laughing triumphantly.

“Holy shit!” Peter exclaims in amazement and surprise.

Rhodey says, out of anything else to comment, “Okay, tiny dude is big now. He's big now.” 

“I guess that's the signal,” Steve mutters and he and Bucky make a run for it as Sam cheers Scott on.

“Give me back my Rhodey,” Tony orders, flying over. Sam is about to fly feet first into Tony when Stephen opens a portal, sending Sam crashing into Bucky and Steve instead. Tony is struck by one of Clint’s explosive arrows however, but Peter catches Rhodey with his webs.

Scott kicks a bus towards T’Challa and Vision descends, bracing himself as he splits the bus in two, protecting T'Challa from harm. T'Challa spots Steve and Bucky sprinting past. Chasing Sam, Tony evades Scott swinging the wing of a plane at him and he says, “Okay, anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they'd like to disclose, I'm open to suggestions.” Sam arrows towards Tony, firing Redwing which cracks into Tony's helmet. 

Scott blocks T'Challa's path and says, “You wanna get to them… you gotta go through me.” He sweeps his gigantic foot through the crates T'Challa's standing on, smashing them to pieces. Scott is engulfed in explosions as Rhodey swoops towards him with Peter clinging to a web stuck to his back. He fires more webs and wraps them around Scott's arms.

Clint fires arrows at T'Challa who catches two right in front of his face. After the arrowheads explode he drops them and rises, extending his claws. Clint says, leveling his bow and turning it around, “We haven't met yet. I'm Clint.”

“I don't care.”

Wielding the bow like a staff, Clint attacks T'Challa who acrobatically ducks then counters with a high kick.

Giant Scott punches Rhodey in the air and swings a gangway towards him as he recovers. Rhodey opens fire and the gangway disintegrates. Scott tries to stamp on him who dives clear, evading a lunge of Scott's hand before he gets struck by something. He shouts in shock as Wanda waves her hands, flinging vehicles into his path. Stephen quickly arrives, using his magic binds to stop Wanda. The vehicles collapse and Stephen slams her onto the ground before throwing her aside.

Scott orders Peter to get off him and is distracted, not noticing Vision curling into a ball and ramming into him. Vision spots Steve and Bucky approaching the hangar as Scott tries to recover from the hit. He simply floats through Scott's chest to get to them and Scott exclaims, “Something just flew in me!”

Vision fires a shining beam of energy from his mind stone and the control tower collapses towards the entrance of the hangar. Wanda struggles to slow its collapse and Steve and Bucky continue running before Rhodey descends behind her, firing a sonic disruptor. Wanda clutches her head and screams in agony, breaking the spell. The tower falls all around Steve and Bucky but they are quick enough to make it into the hangar where Natasha is waiting for them.

“I’ve been waiting,” she says. “The Quinjet’s ready. Just board.” 

Steve raises a hand in an apologetic salute, “Sorry we took so long. Thank you, Nat.” 

She cocks her head as if to say it’s nothing before she nods behind them, “On your left.” She raises her gun to the left of the area behind them, stunning T'Challa who's arrived behind them.

“Go.”

Steve and Bucky run for the Quinjet as she keeps T'Challa at bay. She shoots him a final time before she jumps onto the Quinjet, taking off.

* * *

“Hey, guys, you ever see that really old movie, Empire Strikes Back?” Peter calls out.

Stephen narrows his eyes, asking, “Jesus, Stark, how old is he?” 

Tony clicks his tongue in annoyance, “I don't know, I didn't carbon-date him. He's on the young side.” 

Peter continues, swinging towards Scott, “You know that part where they're on the snow planet with the walking thingies?” 

As he begins wrapping webs around the joints of Scott’s legs, Tony catches on and Stephen nods upward, “Go high.” 

Peter swings around and around Scott's legs as Tony and Stephen power towards his head, both landing blows together. Peter cheers loudly as Scott topples, a flailing limb catching Peter and sending him flying just before Scott slams into the ground on his back. 

He returns to normal size and removes the face-plate of his helmet, grimacing, “Does anyone have any orange slices?”

Tony lands by Peter and retracts his helmet, concerned. “Kid, you alright?”

Peter struggles before Tony reassures him that it’s only him and that he’s done. Of course, Peter argues that he has to keep going before Tony threatens to call Aunt May. Stephen sees the love and concern Tony has for the kid, even while barely knowing him so early into their friendship. He misses it.

* * *

Outside, Vision kneels beside Wanda and gently holds her in his arms as she pants for breath. He apologizes and she returns it, Vision pointing out that it is all just as he predicted — catastrophe.

Piloting the Quinjet, Steve looks over his shoulder and spots Rhodey encroaching to the right and pushes forward on the thrusters. Tony flies beside Rhodey and Sam follows them. 

Rhodey says, “Vision, I got a bandit on my six.” 

Sam fires small explosives which erupt and buffer Rhodey. “Vision! You copy? Target his thrusters, turn him into a glider.”

Vision finally responds, taking aim and firing his head laser. Sam sees it coming and ducks into a tumble. The laser overshoots and slices through the core on Rhodey’s chest plate, causing the suit to lose power and sending it into a spinning free fall. 

Both Sam and Tony make a dive to try to catch Rhodey who yells, “Tony, I'm flying dead stick!” 

As he plunges, the suit emits black smoke from its failure. Tony swoops down towards him just as Sam does. 

Rhodey's eyes start to close. _Peace._

Stephen’s cloak is already making a move to catch Rhodey while Stephen tries to open a portal from how far away he is from where Rhodey’s at. It doesn’t work and he watches helplessly with Peter and Jessica as Tony tries to catch up.

Rhodey crashes into a wide, grassy field just before Tony lands nearby. His helmet retracts and he pulls off Rhodey's face plate. His eyes are closed and there's blood on his face. 

“Read vitals,” Tony orders, stressed.

FRIDAY tells him, “ _Heartbeat detected. Emergency medical is on its way._ ”

Sam swoops down and lands on his feet. As he retracts his wings, he apologizes. Tony doesn’t hear it, shooting Sam backwards with a blast of energy from the palm of his suit. Vision glides to the ground just in front of Sam and stares speechlessly at what he has done.

Tony can only hold Rhodey in silence.

Stephen watches from afar. Peter presses a hand to his mouth in shock and Jessica sighs, muttering a quiet ‘oh, fuck’ under her breath before she turns to Stephen, “Should we walk over?” 

“Maybe it’s best to leave him alone. We’ll be here if he needs us,” he responds. Jessica nods and she frowns, turning back to shoot Wanda and Clint a poisonous glare.

Stephen can tell Rhodey thought he was going to die. He knows his eyes were shut because he had come to peace with it. He knows Rhodey was okay with it because he was going to die doing what he thought was right.

Stephen wonders what that’s like. To believe so surely that you are right that death is only a minor inconvenience. His whole life, he’s believed himself to be wrong in everything except his career. His sexuality was a trying time for him where he and everyone around him believed so strongly that he was wrong. He believed he was wrong in desiring love, in desiring purpose. His career was the only thing that he knew he was right in. When that was gone, the magic became that.

And maybe it was unhealthy for Stephen to base his entire life’s worth on only one aspect of his life that can easily change.

But it makes sleeping so much easier to know that your life depends on only one thing.

* * *

“You okay, Doc?” Jessica asks as she comes to sit next to him on the jet that Tony got to pick them up. Peter is on a helicopter with Tony being sent home while Rhodey is on another vehicle to transport him to a hospital, which leaves Jessica, Stephen, T’Challa and Vision on the jet.

“Fine,” he says. The Cloak comes off his shoulders and settles onto Jessica’s experimentally before it decides to stay there. 

Jessica eyes the sentient cloak suspiciously, then elects to ignore it, continuing, “It’s just… I recognize that look. That look where you think this is all you will ever be.” 

Stephen raises an eyebrow, “Excuse me?” 

Jessica nods.

“Yup. You think that because you are a wizard, that you have to use your magic for good. So you choose to become a superhero. To find purpose. I’ve been there. After my family died in a car accident because I was too self-absorbed and I got these freak powers, I wanted to become a superhero. But why? Because I was excited with these newfound gifts that I thought I had to do something. And guess what? I actually didn’t want to do anything. The superhero life is not mine to live, because I don’t care about anyone but myself,” Jessica says.

Stephen listens intently before asking, “So what has that got to do with me?” 

Jessica sighs and rolls her eyes as she continues, “Everything. Are you sure being a superhero is your only purpose in life, Strange? I’m sure you have better things in store than to throw a couple of orange whips and creating portals.”

“I protect reality as you know it.”

“Yeah, but why do you do it?” Jessica asks. “Because you feel obligated to? Or because you want to?”

Stephen falls silent.

“When Kilgrave controlled me, made use of me to kill people, to… satisfy his dirty needs, I was devastated. When I got free of that trapped life, I gave up. I indulged in alcohol and wouldn’t bother fixing my door and tidying up my apartment because what was the point? Nothing I’ll ever do will make me feel clean ever again, so why bother?” Jessica says. Stephen listens, only hearing about this ‘Kilgrave’ for the first time. “It took me years to come to terms with the fact it happened, but nothing will change the fact that it did. Then he came back and I set out to find him so he couldn’t hurt anyone again. See that, Doc? A purpose. Then I hunted him down and snapped the neck of that son of a bitch.

“I think it’s the same for you. You were what, an A-List neurosurgeon or something, right? You thought your purpose was in saving the lives, but your self-absorbed ass only tells me that you were in it because you wanted to feel worth. Or maybe you found comfort in the money you earned in exchange for the people you saved. I don’t know. I don’t care which one. But then you had that accident and it destroyed your hands. You fell into some sort of dark hole and then boom. You found it. Purpose. The magic. And what’s the purpose of that? You save people with this magic, but the only reason you pursued it was to fix your hands. Why? To return to your life in the operating room. All for what, Strange? What’s truly your purpose?”

“I just want to feel like I’m worth something,” Stephen says shakily, Jessica’s words hitting him in places he didn’t know he could feel.

“Your worth isn’t just in the fights. I know how we can feel like that sometimes, but it isn’t. My sister Trish taught me that. Find your worth in someone. It’s a hell lot better than finding worth in something,” Jessica says before she stands and leaves Stephen alone with the sounds of the jet’s engine.

Someone.

_Who could love me? I’m out of my mind._


	2. i have to protect the one thing i can't live without. that's you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Stephen visit prison, some truths about Bucky come to light and Stephen's condition worsens.
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!

After sending Peter home and making sure Rhodey is being treated, Tony came back to the Avengers compound in time to welcome Jessica, Stephen, T'Challa and Vision back. T'Challa was soon on his way after exchanging a few private words with Tony and Vision stands aside as Tony turns to Jessica and Stephen.

"Thank you two so much, by the way. You did good out there. Um, Vision can show you to your rooms here. I had the bots clear out Romanoff and Rogers' rooms so Strange can take Rogers', Jones can take Romanoff's." 

Jessica immediately declines, "Nope. I have my own home."

"That shabby place? The door doesn't even close properly and the place is in shambles. I'm having it fixed," Tony says. Jessica is about to argue when Tony cuts in, "Look, you just fought for something I believe in. I appreciate it, and I wanted to do something in return. You can go back once the place is fixed up. Deal?" Jessica stares at him before she finally gives in, granting him a soft and quick 'thanks' before she's talking about how there should be a lot of beer in her room.

Stephen comes up to Tony and asks, “How’s Rhodes?” 

Tony shrugs, leaning against a pillar, “He’s fine now, safely in a hospital. He can come home after a while. He definitely won’t be well enough to keep fighting.” Stephen nods and apologizes before Tony says, “Strange. Ah, thank you for doing what you did. When you redirected the cars away from me and got caught under them in the process, thank you for that. I could’ve been Rhodey. Way less serious, but still. You are okay, right?” Stephen is about to say yes before he starts coughing violently.

“Strange?” Tony calls, a hand settling on Stephen’s back as he supports his friend. Stephen removes his hand from his mouth and both he and Tony stare in confusion at the blue butterfly that flies away. 

“Okay… Tell me that’s some weird magic thing you wizards do,” Tony says, watching the butterfly cautiously, and 

Stephen frowns, shaking his head, “Not that I know of.” 

At that, Tony turns to him in concern and says, “Maybe you should go back to the Sanctorum, find out if this is something serious.” 

Stephen immediately rejects the idea, “Thank you for your concern, but I think I’d rather end this ‘Civil War’ before I worry myself with other things.” 

Tony stares at him, hesitation lining his gaze towards Stephen before he finally nods, albeit reluctantly, “Fine. Once this whole thing blows over, you’re getting this checked out, okay? I will drag you if I have to.”

Stephen laughs at the idea of tiny Tony Stark dragging him by his Cloak to the Sanctum Sanctorum, and even Tony starts chuckling at the ridiculous notion. Stephen’s heart feels lighter than a butterfly’s wings at the sound of Tony’s laugh, but he isn’t sure if he wants to know why. If there is too much weight, you lose power on the swing, Stephen wants to maintain the control. If he tries to come to terms with why this man he’s met just days ago is already making him feel this way, it’s just too much weight for Stephen’s heart to take.

His hands can barely hold themselves as it is. Does he really think he can hold Tony’s?

* * *

Steve flies the Quinjet towards mountains and Bucky is seated behind him. The rest of the team is sitting quietly at the back. 

Bucky asks, “What's gonna happen to your friends?” 

Steve stares ahead, the only movement from him being his hands as they steady the Quinjet, and he sighs, shaking his head, “Whatever it is… I'll deal with it.” 

“I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve.”

Natasha glances up momentarily at that and Steve glances back at him for a second before returning his attention to flying, “What you did all those years… It wasn't you. You didn't have a choice.” 

Bucky thinks over it before he says heavily, “I know. But I did it.”

* * *

Rhodey is in a light blue gown, being moved into a CT-scanner slowly. Vision watches him in silence, the guilt and confusion making him disoriented and unaware of Tony and Stephen's arrival. 

Tony asks quietly, tone unreadable even to the good Doctor, "How did this happen?" 

Vision paused before answering, "I became distracted."

"I didn't think that was possible."

"Neither did I," Vision says simply, not knowing what else he can add. He doesn't feel that he should be on the defensive side, aware that he has made a mistake. Tony doesn't push the topic any further, leaving Vision alone to look in on Rhodey's treatment as he and Stephen leave the room without another word. 

Tony asks, once they are in the privacy of the empty corridor, "How is he? Your take, Doc."  Jessica is at a nearby balcony and hears them, turning in concern to listen to Stephen's explanation. 

Tony and Stephen stand on the balcony with her as Stephen says, "Rhodey shattered L4 through S1. Extreme laceration in the spinal cord. Probably looking at some form of paralysis."

"Rogers isn’t gonna stop," Jessica states flatly. Stephen nods before he coughs slightly, Jessica and Tony's grim expressions melting into concern. 

Tony's hand finds its way to the small of Stephen's back as he asks gently, "You okay? You need to sit or something?" Stephen shakes his head, pressing a hand to his mouth to keep the butterfly in. Jessica gives him a quick pat on the shoulder, uncertain of what she can say to improve Stephen's weird situation before she walks away. Tony glances at his wrist device before he asks Stephen, "Can you stand?"

Stephen grips the balcony handle in response, parting his lips to let the blue butterfly free. He watches its translucent wings against the sun and wonders just what on earth did he do to deserve to live in the same time as Tony Stark. 

Tony taps on his wrist device a few times before he asks aloud, "What am I looking at, FRIDAY?"

" _Priority upload from Berlin police_ ," FRIDAY responds briskly.

Tony orders, "Fire up the chopper." FRIDAY answers with enthusiasm and Tony turns back to Stephen, saying, "I'm gonna go to prison. You wanna come?"

* * *

Stephen stares out of the helicopter window, pressing his fingertips together against his lips as he shuts his eyes in silent prayer that the helicopter doesn't fail mid-flight. He trusts Tony — God knows he trusts him — but he doesn't exactly trust vehicles of any kind, water, land or air. He feels Tony's hand squeeze his thigh in reassurance and he focusses on FRIDAY's voice as she informs them, " _The Task Force called for a psychiatrist as soon as Barnes was captured. The UN dispatched Dr. Theo Broussard from Geneva within the hour. He was met by this man._ " Stephen assumes that a face has been projected onto a hologram, but he doesn't bother opening his eyes to look. 

Tony immediately asks her if she's run facial recognition yet and FRIDAY quips, much to Stephen's amusement, " _What do I look like?_ "

"Uh, I don't know. I've been picturing a red head."

" _You must be thinking of someone else_ ," FRIDAY says before launching back into business. " _The fake doctor is actually Colonel Helmut Zemo, Sokovian Intelligence. Zemo ran Echo Skorpion, a Sokovian covert kill squad_." 

Stephen asks, eyes still closed and hands still against his lips, "So, what happened to the real Broussard?" Tony gives Stephen a faint smile and Stephen only knows it because he feels the man trace 'hi' into his leg with a light finger.

" _He was found dead in a Berlin hotel room. Where police also found a wig and facial prosthesis approximating the appearance of one James Buchanan Barnes_ ," FRIDAY replies Stephen and he mourns the loss of the hand on his leg, feeling the butterflies tickle the interior of his mouth. He finds it pathetic, but God, he loves him. Tony orders FRIDAY to get the information to Ross and FRIDAY complies just as the helicopter reaches a part of the sea that somehow just seems even darker to Stephen.

Tony is cleared for landing by the Raft's prison control and the chopper stays in the air as the Raft Prison rises up from beneath the water. Stephen finally opens his eyes to see it — it's a huge, fortified, circular structure with small lights around the sides. Two semi-circular doors open up in the flat circular top and the chopper lands on a helipad, the doors closing above it.

Tony and Stephen walk up to Secretary Ross once they get off the chopper and Tony jumps right in, "So? You got the files? Let's reroute the satellites, start facial scanning for this Zemo guy." 

Ross scoffs and questions, "You seriously think I'm gonna listen to you after that fiasco in Leipzig? You're lucky you're not in one of these cells." 

Stephen narrows his eyes at Ross, disliking the disrespect directed to Tony. He despises the hate his friend has gotten despite everything he has done. Tony puts a hand on his arm and shakes his head no, not removing his hand as they follow Ross through a thick, steel security door. Soldiers stand guard in an operations room while Tony looks at a surveillance screen.

It shows Wanda, sitting hunched and bedraggled in a cramped prison cell. For a moment, Stephen almost feels sorry, but once he recalls her trying to dig up his nightmares, recalls her having dug up Tony's nightmares before, he doesn't feel the sympathy he once had.

Another security door opens and they walk into a chamber surrounded by large, bared windows, prison cells lined up behind them. 

Tony and Stephen start walking slowly and they hear slow, sarcastic applause followed by Clint's voice declaring loudly, "The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here! He meets a wizard and thinks he sees it all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not."

Tony suppresses rolling his eyes as he replies, "Give me a break, Barton. I had no idea they'll put you here. Come on." 

Clint says poisonously and accusingly, "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us _somewhere_ , Tony." 

Tony looks away, in exasperation and tiredness, "Yeah, but not some super-max floating ocean pokey. You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for…"

"Criminals?" Clint fills in, standing up. Instantly, Stephen takes a more protective stance and a foot finds its way in front of Tony, who gives Stephen a surprised glance. "Criminals, Tony. Think that's the word you're looking for. Right? That didn't used to mean me. Or Sam, or Wanda. But here we are."

"Because you broke the law," Stephen says, sick of seeing Tony be beaten down for someone else's doings. 

Clint is so surprised by the quiet sorcerer making a stand that he doesn't come up with a witty response in time to stop Stephen from continuing, "Tony didn't make you. You read it and you broke it. Now, I don't know if you think you're outside the law just because you think you're a hero, but usually, lawbreakers end up behind bars." 

Clint rolls his eyes and Stephen's irritation reaches a new high as he says, "Barton, you are a grown up. You have a wife and children. You weren't involved in the first place, Tony told me you retired. You should've thought of your family before you got caught up in something that didn't concern you. _If_ you loved your family. Now they are defenseless, at home, wondering where you are. Any of your enemies can get to them now, all because you were selfish and couldn't stay out of business that wasn't yours. So now you're throwing playground insults at Tony and all for what?"

That renders Clint speechless for a few moments and Stephen finishes with a cold, "Grow the hell up."

Scott mentions something about Hank Pym in passing, but neither Avenger paid him any mind as they made their way to Sam's cell, where he asks how's Rhodey. Tony informs him that the doctors are flying him to Columbia medical to get better treatment and Sam's features express his regret. Tony asks him if he needs anything and if they've fed him.

Sam raises an eyebrow and asks, "You're the good cop now?" 

Tony raises his hands in surrender, saying, "I'm just the guy who needs to know where Steve went."

"Well, you better go get a bad cop, because you're gonna have to go Mark Fuhrman on my ass to get information out of me."

Stephen watches as Tony's fingers tap and drag on his wrist device a few times before he says, "Oh, I just knocked the 'A' out of their 'AV'. We got about 30 seconds before they realize it's not their equipment. Just look. Because that is the fellow who was supposed to interrogate Barnes." 

Tony shows Sam a holographic image of Doctor Broussard and Sam shows surprise. "Clearly, I made a mistake. Sam, I was wrong."

Sam remarks, "That's a first."

"Cap is definitely off the reservation but he's about to need all the help he can get. We don't know each other very well. You don't have to..." Tony trails off.

Sam cuts him off, "Hey, it's alright." 

Tony instantly leans in closer to the window, causing Sam to sigh and look around uneasily, "Look, I'll tell you… but you have to go as a friend."

"Easy."

Secretary Ross asks them if any of the Ex-vengers supplied any information on Steve and Tony answers that they did not and instead told him to go to hell. "I'm going back to the compound instead, but you can call me anytime. I'll put you on hold, I like to watch the line blink."

Tony beams at him and gets in the chopper, the doors sliding shut behind Stephen when he takes a seat next to Tony. As the chopper rises and takes off, the prison's roof closes.

"You ready, Doc?"

"For you? Always."

Tony gives him a quick wink and instantly, Stephen feels the butterflies coming again as Tony unclips his arm sling, cradling his injured arm before pressing a button on a panel. The Iron Man suit comes out of the seat and wraps itself around Tony, him falling out of the hatch that opens and flying, waiting for Stephen to emerge.

"Come on, Doc. We don't have all day," Tony jokes, and Stephen feels the Cloak stroke his cheek gently before he jumps out of the hatchet, the Cloak keeping him afloat as the both of them speed through the dark clouds.

Tony slows down, just so Stephen can keep up.

* * *

Steve brings his Quinjet into land besides Zemo's caterpillar truck on the remote icy mountain top. The jet's wings fold up beside the fuselage.

On board, Bucky pulls out a rack of guns labeled 'Romanoff', taking a light machine gun. They stand together, waiting for the exit ramp to descend, and Steve asks, "You remember that time we had to ride back from Rockaway Beach in the back of that freezer truck?" 

Bucky pauses to search for the memory before he replies, "Was that the time we used our train money to buy hot dogs?" 

Steve grins, fond of the memory, and teases, "You blew three bucks trying to win that stuffed bear for a blondie."

Bucky gives him a knowing look and smirks, "What was his name again?" 

Steve shrugs, still smiling as he watched the sky get bigger through the exit ramp, "Steven. You called him Steve." 

Bucky jokes, "He's gotta be a hundred years old right now." 

Steve puts an arm around Bucky, pressing a kiss to his temple as he says, "So are you."

Once they've descended, Steve leads them into the cast bunker where they travel down into the depths inside a caged elevator. It stops in the deepest part of the bunker and the doors slide open. Steve nods to Bucky in affirmation and heaves up the cage door for them to move forward. Bucky readies his machine gun and they walk along a corridor, keeping close to a wall. There isn't too much and they begin moving up some stairs before they turn at the sound of a thud. 

Steve asks softy, "You ready?" 

Bucky nods and they watch orange sparks fly around and Iron Man and Doctor Strange walk through, Steve staring in surprise.

Tony walks towards Steve and Bucky and retracts the suit's helmet, Stephen standing aside quietly as Tony remarks, "You seem a little defensive." 

Steve brings the shield to his front and Bucky keeps the gun up as Steve walks up to Tony, "It's been a long day." 

Tony gestures to Steve's shield and says, "At ease, Soldier. I'm not currently after you."

"Then why are you here?"

"Could be your story's not so crazy. Maybe. Ross has no idea we're here. I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I gotta arrest us," Tony replies, nodding towards Stephen as he says 'us'. 

Stephen feels the butterflies coming up again but says nothing as Steve lowers his shield, "Well, that sounds like a lot of paperwork. It's good to see you, Tony." 

Tony returns the sentiments by calling him 'Cap' and Stephen feels his heart ache in response to the nickname he knows the former boyfriends have grown familiar with, but he still doesn't say anything against the butterflies in his lungs. 

Tony stares at Steve for a good second longer before he sighs and says to Bucky, "Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop…" 

Steve signals Bucky to lower his weapon and he obeys. The four of them cautiously walk along a corridor, unaware of T'Challa in his Black Panther Suit hiding around a corner, watching them. With his helmet and face plate reengaged, Tony leads Stephen, Steve and Bucky towards the enormous chamber with the capsules standing in it.

Tony informs the group, "I got heat signatures." Stephen asks how many, to which Tony replies with one.

As they enter the chamber, the lights come on. Hazy, yellow mist descends within the capsules. As well as Josef, each one contains an enhanced soldier from the 1991 experiment. 

The four of them look around, bewildered, as Helmut Zemo's voice comes through the speakers, "If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you? I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here." 

Zemo appears in a control room and Steve hurls his shield in his direction, dismayed when it does nothing but reflect off the glass and fly back into his hands. 

Zemo taunts, "Please, Captain. The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets." 

Tony challenges, "I'm betting I could beat that."

Stephen wonders if his challenge is from hate directed at Zemo or lingering protectiveness over Steve. He'd rather not know the answer.

"Oh, I'm sure you could, Mr. Stark. Given time. But then you'd never know why you came," Zemo responds.

Steve questions, "You killed innocent people in Vienna just to bring us here?" 

Zemo replies, voice low and creepy, "I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you. I followed you. But now that you're standing here, I just realized... there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw." 

Stephen whispers in disgust, "Jesus, what's wrong with this guy?" 

Tony shrugs at him and Steve continues, "You're Sokovian. Is that what this is about?" 

Zemo counters, "Sokovia was a failed state long before you blew it to hell. No. I'm here because I made a promise."

"You lost someone?"

"I lost everyone. And so will you," Zemo says. He plays surveillance footage from December 16th 1991 and Steve steps over to the screen. "An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumples from within? That's dead… forever."

Tony steps closer as well and reads the date of the freeze frame, the empty road striking him, "I know that road. What is this?"

Stephen already knows.

The video plays. That car that the Winter Soldier forced off the road crashes into a tree. Tony watches intently as the Winter Soldier rides up and gets off his motorbike. Steve watches Tony's increasing unease with his own sense of tension, sparing glances towards Bucky. The driver lies on the ground beside the car and Tony's gaze hardens as he realizes who it is.

" _Help my wife. Please. Help._ " The Winter Soldier walks over and hoists him up by his hair, staring at Howard's bloody face. " _Sergeant Barnes?_ "

" _Howard!_ "

Tony's glare snaps to Bucky and Stephen slides the sling ring off his hand silently, already telling that this will lead to a fight. In the video, the Winter Soldier pounds Howard hard in the face with his metal fist as Maria screams her husband's name in agony. In grief, Tony shuts his eyes for a moment, trying to focus on Stephen's presence behind him. _Someone in this fucking room who I know I can trust._ On screen, his father slumps dead, and the Winter Soldier puts him in the driver's seat with his face against the steering wheel, Maria in the passenger seat with blood streaked down her own face. The Winter Soldier walks around and grips her throat. Expressionless, he strangles Maria, and Tony can do nothing but stare at what has been done.

The Winter Soldier shoots the surveillance camera, the bang of the gun ringing through the compound.

Steve watches Tony anxiously and the world is still before Tony lunges towards Bucky and Steve stops him before Stephen can interject.

Steve tries to bring Tony back to his senses by calling his name and Tony doesn't listen, turning to Steve with tears of grief in his eyes, "Did you know?" 

Steve replies too quickly for it to be the truth, "I didn't know it was him." 

It hits Stephen like a practiced answer and apparently it hits Tony as such, because he shouts, "Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?"

Hesitation.

"Yes."

Tony stumbles backward, his chin jutting upwards twitchily as Stephen steps out of his way before the Iron Man can bump into him. The world is still once more before Tony reengages the Iron Man helmet, punching Steve to the floor and deflecting gunfire from Bucky, disarming him. He grabs Bucky and flies across the chamber, slamming him onto the floor before jumping on his arms. Steve throws his shield to Tony and Stephen quickly redirects it with a spell before it can hit Tony. Steve makes a quick sound out of irritation and he runs towards Tony, pulling him off Bucky. Tony shoulders him to the floor and shackles his ankles.

Bucky is about to punch Tony just as Stephen's Cloak wraps itself around his metal hand, dragging Bucky away from Tony. The Cloak rewraps itself around Bucky's body instead and slams him against the wall before returning to its place on Stephen's shoulders, Bucky falling to the ground. Bucky makes a grab for a piece of sharpened rubble and throws it to Steve who cuts through it, jumping back into action.

While Stephen is distracted with keeping Bucky occupied, Steve slams Tony against a machine and twists Tony's raised fist. A rocket shoots out of Tony's suit's arm and a fireball explodes, not doing much. Steve slices his shackles as a towering structure of pipe works collapse. Tony and Steve are thrown down a level as twisted metal falls around them, showering sparks.

Steve yells at Bucky to get out of there and Stephen gets to work, dodging a blast fired by Tony at Bucky. It missed its target and he hears Tony mumble a quick apology to him before he sees Tony flying back up towards Bucky. 

Tony tells Stephen, "You get Rogers. I'll take Barnes." 

Stephen nods and flies back down to get to Steve as Tony follows Bucky. Bucky hits a control panel and the silo-styled door overhead starts to open.

Steve yells from his lower position, "It wasn't him, Tony. Hydra had control of his mind!" Tony orders him to move and Steve insists again that it wasn't Bucky, grabbing Tony's ankle in mid air and crushing it. Tony, irritated, shoots some rubble and lets it crumble down onto Steve before flying up the tower.

" _Left boot jet failing. Flight systems compromised_ ," FRIDAY informs Tony who expresses his dismay. Above him, Bucky leaps from platform to platform. With stuttering jets, Tony chases Bucky and kicks him. He takes aim and Steve tries to throw his shield up, Stephen stopping him by opening a portal that sends the shield flying into Steve's back.

"He's not going to stop," Steve tries, stumbling as he picks up his shield. 

Stephen nods, "Oh, I know." 

Steve stares at him for a few moments before anger flashes in his eyes, "You asshole."

As Tony flies upwards, Steve leaps and shoots a wire which wraps around Iron Man's neck and drags him back down. Stephen quickly uses his magic and slices the wire, freeing Tony. Stephen also deflects Steve's shield again and Tony tries to target Bucky. FRIDAY tells him that the targeting system is knackered and Tony says he's eyeballing it. Stephen watches as Tony's helmet retracts and he shuts one eye, taking aim at the opening hatch which Bucky is climbing desperately towards. Tony fires and hits the giant hinge which explodes, cutting off Bucky's escape route. 

He flies up, blocks two swings from an iron pipe from Bucky, then grabs him around the neck from behind as he asks bitterly, "Do you even remember them?"

Bucky's voice is tired as he replies, "I remember all of them."

Bucky pushes them both from the walkway and Stephen puts a portal in Tony's way to make sure he lands safely on a platform while Bucky and Steve land on the concrete floor besides an opening in the wall where snow drifts in from outside. 

Stephen helps Tony descend to Bucky and Steve's location and Steve insists, "This isn't gonna change what happened."

"I don't care. He killed my mom."

Tony's voice is as cold as the snow right outside. And yet his voice makes Stephen feel warm. The butterflies threaten to escape as Stephen coughs. Tony shoots him a quick look of concern before he deflects a blow from Steve, pinning the captain down. Bucky grabs Steve's shield and heads for Stephen, ready to take him on while he's weakened by his violent coughing. Stephen protects Tony as much as he can, even while struggling with his own fight against Bucky — he opens small portals that make Steve punch himself instead and sends some of Bucky's hits Steve's way as well, though it doesn't do much and his heart aches every time he sees Tony take a blow.

Bucky makes a hard hit at Stephen's hands with the shield and Stephen exclaims in agony, grabbing his hands as he falls to his knees. 

Bucky almost looks sorry for a moment, the good Doctor coughing to the point where Bucky can't tell if the blood is from his injuries or his coughing, and he says softly, “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this.” 

Stephen wants to laugh as he answers, “Then why are you?” 

As Bucky raises the shield to smack Stephen with it, he gets blasted aside by Tony. Steve comes up and shoves Tony into a wall, struggling to hold him at bay as Tony unleashes an energy beam, then Steve forces him against the opposite wall and grips the glowing core in the chest of the Iron Man suit. 

“This takes… ripping my heart out… to a whole new level, Rogers,” Tony jokes inappropriately. The mistimed joke catches Steve by surprise and he misses Bucky tripping over a weakened Stephen as he throws the shield to him. The shield knocks into Tony instead, who blasts out of pure instinct. The blast of energy knocks Bucky down, metal arm completely blown away. Steve releases him and rushes him with his shield up, Tony firing right at it.

Tony stops blasting the shield, knowing it’s futile to attempt to destroy vibranium, so he trades it in for hand to hand combat. 

FRIDAY shouts, “ _You can't beat him hand to hand!_ ” 

Tony commands, dodging one of Steve’s punches, “Analyse his fight pattern.”  FRIDAY lets out an alarmed ‘ _Scanning!_ ’ and soon follows up with, “ _Countermeasures ready._ ” 

Tony suddenly grabs Steve’s shield and he smirks, “Let's kick his ass.” 

He flings the shield away then blasts Steve backwards, head over heels. Steve rises and Tony blocks his punches then blasts him to his knees before Bucky, who's lying on his back. 

Steve kneels protectively in front of Bucky and says desperately, “He's my boyfriend.”

“So was I,” Tony replies. He punches Steve and throws him back at the gaps in the wall. “Stay down. Final warning.”

Tony has to admit that Steve has admirable determination, albeit foolish. Steve struggles to his feet, his face bloody and his stance weary. 

He raises his fists tiredly and stares Tony down, saying, “I could do this all day.” 

Tony raises his left palm, ready to fire. Bucky reaches out to grab his leg and Stephen stops him, using magic to aggravate his wound from when Tony blasted his metal arm off. Bucky screams in pain and Steve takes his shield, slamming Stephen with it. 

Tony comes to Stephen’s rescue and blasts Steve aside, asking, “Strange! You okay?” 

Bucky comes up behind Tony and attacks him, being knocked down by Tony, what with the disadvantage of one arm missing.

“Stark!” Stephen warns and Tony narrowly dodges a swing of the shield by Steve and he blasts him.  Steve blocks it with his shield before he throws it right at Stephen who gets knocked out by the shield. The Cloak instantly balls itself up around Steve’s hands and Tony whacks Steve before Bucky grabs his leg. Tony spins and kicks him in the face before Steve pulls the Cloak off, grabbing him and lifts him over his head, throwing him down. Steve punches him and bashes his mask off with his shield before striking down hard on the suit's core.

“You did that,” Tony says weakly. Steve pauses and stares at what he’s done before he shuts his eyes, slumping down. The shield remains upright, stuck right in the center of the Iron Man suit. 

Tony glances over to check on Stephen, seeing his friend collapsed and bloodied, unconscious. “You fucking did that.”

“I’m sorry, Tony. I…” Steve trails off, struggling onto his feet as he takes hold of the shield, gripping the edge and pulling it free. Tony winces in pain and Steve looks back apologetically. He steps away from Tony who rolls painfully onto his side, trying to check on Stephen again as if just looking at him would make him feel better. Bucky lies bloodied but conscious, Steve reaches out and pulls him to his feet, holding him up as Tony looks on.

“That shield doesn't belong to you,” Tony calls. Steve turns his back to him and Tony continues, “You don't deserve it. My father made that shield!” 

Steve finally stops, raises his chin in silent farewell to the shield he’s carried for so long, then drops it and walks away with Bucky's arm around his shoulder.

Tony watches them walk away and he watches Stephen lie unconscious and bloodied, the Cloak making his way back to Stephen. It wraps itself protectively around Stephen and the collars turn up to Tony as if asking what to do.

“FRIDAY, call Jessica, please,” Tony finally says. The biting cold air is starting to hurt, and Tony sees the Cloak wrap tighter in an effort to keep Stephen warm.

“ _Stark? What the hell is going on?_ ” Jessica’s voice comes through, rough and uninviting yet concerned all the same. Tony starts to feel himself shivering. The suit is no help at all, frost already collecting on its surface. 

He shifts painfully to get closer to Stephen, propping him up against the wall as he answers, “Rogers and Barnes beat the shit out of us. We’re in Siberia right now.” There’s a heavy pause from her end and Tony cups Stephen’s face to assess the damage. 

Before he can have FRIDAY run a check on Stephen, Jessica asks, “ _He left you there to die?_ ”

“Huh. I guess he did,” Tony says quietly.

“ _I swear, I’m gonna kill them_ ,” Jessica says in a tone of suppressed rage. “ _FRIDAY can give me a jet or something to get you guys, right? On autopilot, because I don’t know how to drive this thing_.”

“She can. Just ask her. I gave you, Strange and Peter command of FRIDAY,” Tony says.

Jessica answers, “ _Okay. I’m coming. Just… Wait there. Is Doc okay? I can’t hear him_.” 

Tony asks FRIDAY to run a check on him and he reports back, “He’s just unconscious for now. He’s got a bit of a head injury from when Rogers knocked him out with the shield. He’ll probably have to spend a day or two in bed.” 

Jessica sighs, “ _That son of a bitch. Hope he’s alright. Okay, I’m leaving now. Huddle for warmth or something._ ”

The line drops.

“Strange? Stay with me, okay? Jess is coming.”

* * *

“Mr Stark, are you okay? Ms Jones told me Mr Rogers got to you and Mr Dr Strange, I —”

“Yeah, uh, sorry for that. I called the kid, thought he would want to know,” Jessica says as she helps Tony into the Avengers compound. 

Peter follows them anxiously and Tony nods, “It’s okay. I’m good, Pete. Just tired. Strange is in a ward right now resting, but he’s fine too.” 

Peter nods before he hugs Tony, “When Ms Jones called me, I got so scared. I thought something worse happened. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Tony is caught by surprise by Peter’s hug but he awkwardly returns it, “Thanks, kid.” 

Jessica pipes up, “Look, sorry to interrupt this family moment or whatever, but Stark, you really need to sit down or something.” 

Tony nods and lets Jessica get him seated and Peter brings him a glass of water, “Mr Stark, your suit…”

“It’s whatever. At least I’m alive, you know? I can fix that,” Tony says. “My only regret is bringing Strange to the fight. He’s sick with some weird wizard thing and I still took him to fight two supersoldiers. God, I’m an idiot.”

“He chose to go with you, Stark. It’s not your fault. Nobody asked Rogers and Barnes to kill you,” Jessica frowns. 

Peter just sits quietly before Tony asks, “Shouldn’t you be at school?”

Peter suddenly glances up, “I’m sorry, Mr Stark! But Ms Jones called —“

“Hey! Don’t blame me, kid. I called to inform you, nobody asked you to come.”

“— and I just had to come see you. Because you’re really important to me,” Peter finishes, simultaneously shooting Jessica an apologetic look for partially blaming her for his absence at school. 

Tony stares at him for a while before pulling him close, “You are too. So go home, okay? Or I’ll call Aunt May and tell her you cut class. Who knew you had it in you?” 

Peter answers sheepishly, “Ned helped me cut class, actually. He would never do it himself but…”

“I don’t wanna hear it. Go home,” Tony orders and Peter relents, mumbling some awkward goodbyes before he leaves the compound.

Jessica scoffs, just the slightest bit fondly, “You like the kid. And the wizard. Especially the wizard, he’s getting extremely good care for someone whose only serious injury is a hit to the head.”

“Someone fights by your side twice and protects you both times, wouldn’t you take a liking to them too?” 


	3. i feel no pain or fear, only you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen finds out what is going on with him, Tony has a proposition for Peter and Stephen helps Thor.
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some character bashing. I apologize in advance - I love and treasure every character in the MCU.

"It's just the first pass," Tony says, watching Rhodey walk tentatively between parallel bars, tech on his legs. 

Rhodey nods and Tony adds, "Give me some feedback. Anything you can think of. Shock absorption. Lateral movement. Cup holder?" 

Rhodey jokes, "You may wanna think about some AC down in..." 

He falls onto his hands before he can finish and Tony immediately moves to help him, "Let's go. I'll give you a hand."

Rhodey gestures to him to stop and says, "No, no, don't. Don't help me. Don't help me." He rises to his hands and knees, turning to sit on the floor beside Tony. "138. 138 combat missions. That's how many I've flown, Tony. Every one of them could've been my last, but I flew 'em. Because the fight needed to be fought. It's the same with these Accords. I signed because it was the right thing to do. And, yeah, this sucks. This is... This is a bad beat. But it hasn't changed my mind. I don't think."

He gives Tony a smile and takes his hand as Tony asks, "You okay?" 

Rhodey affirms it before they're interrupted by a FedEx driver knocking on the window, packet in hand, "Are you Tony 'Stank'?" 

Rhodey starts laughing, "Yes, this is — this is Tony 'Stank'. You're in the right place. Thank you for that! I'm never dropping that, by the way." Tony rolls his eyes as he signs for the packet, waving goodbye to the FedEx man. 

Rhodey continues mocking, "Table for one, Mr. 'Stank'. Please, by the bathroom."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Tony scoffs, placing the packet down as he returns to Rhodey on the floor. 

Rhodey asks, "Say, didn't your magic man pursue magic to heal his accident injury? He's doing great." Tony shakes his head, thinking back to when he saw Stephen suffer when Bucky smacked his hands with the shield. 

How badly his hands were shaking afterwards, even though he was unconscious, "My ‘magic man' isn't healed. The magic didn't do anything for his hands."

Rhodey frowns, "Pity."

Pity indeed. Tony should try to do something about that.

* * *

"What's that?" Jessica asks when Tony walks into the compound, packet in hand. 

Stephen turns to see what Jessica is asking after and Tony shrugs, taking a seat with them at the table, "Don't know. You wanna do the honors?" 

Stephen takes the packet from him and opens it, finding an envelope and a phone inside. Tony takes the phone to check if it's been modified to be dangerous while Stephen reads the letter.

_           Tony,  _

_ I'm glad you're back at the compound. I don't like the idea of you rattling _ _around a mansion by yourself. We all need family. The Avengers are yours, maybe  _ _more so than mine. I've been on my own since I was 18. I never really fit in anywhere,  _ _even in the army. My faith's in people, I guess. Individuals. And I'm happy to say_ _that, for the most part, they haven't let me down. Which is why I can't let them down_ _either. Locks can be replaced, but maybe they shouldn't. I know I hurt you, Tony. I _ _ guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you, but I can see _ _now that I was really sparing myself, and I'm sorry. Hopefully one day you can_ _understand. I wish we agreed on the Accords, I really do. I know you're doing what you_ _believe in, and that's all any of us can do. That's all any of us should. _

"Doesn't seem like much of an apology," Stephen remarks when Tony gives him the letter to read. Jessica stands behind him, one hand over Stephen's shoulder to hold the letter steady for him since it's shaking so much in his own weak grip.

Jessica reads it and frowns, "A lot of 'I'. The only 'you' I actually see is him saying you need to understand. He doesn't even mention leaving you in Siberia, this is a shit letter."

FRIDAY interrupts with, " _Priority call from Secretary Ross. There's been a breach at the Raft prison._ " 

Tony nods, reading the letter himself as he says, "Yeah, put him through." 

Stephen and Jessica watch him carefully as he processes the letter, Secretary Ross' voice coming through, " _Tony, we have a problem._ " He immediately puts Ross on hold, much to the protest of the secretary.

_So, no matter what. I promise you, if you need us, if you need me, I'll be there._

"You believe him?" Jessica asks. "He fucked you over once, he can do it again. He left you to die, Tony."

Tony shrugs, tossing the letter on the kitchen counter. He takes interest in the fact that Jessica referred to him as 'Tony' and not 'Stark', instead of focussing on the fact that Steve has broken the Ex-vengers out of prison. 

Jessica continues, "Tony, listen to me. He could have done something about Siberia, but he didn't. He's not trustworthy. Some day, you have to accept that."

"Yeah, I do," Tony nods. "He left me, left _us_ , in fucking cold Siberia. Barnes damaged Strange's hands further with the shield, no remorse. He just broke the former Avengers out of the Raft. He wears a flag on his chest and thinks he fights for his nation. He just went against it. And in doing so, against me. His actions have hurt Rhodey, hurt _you_ " — he looks towards Stephen — "more than they should have. I don't like sharing what's mine, especially with a guy who plays dirty."

_What's mine._ Stephen coughs up even more butterflies.

Jessica's eyes widen as she watches the light, blue creatures flutter through the compound. She says, tone bordering on concern, "You should check that out, I think. That's not a normal wizard thing, right?" 

Tony nods, frowning, "It's not, I don't think. Okay, Strange. You gotta look into this. Take a couple days off. I promise I'll call you if I need you, okay? Just get better."

_If I need you._ Stephen's butterflies are tainted with blood as he chokes on their wings.

* * *

Since the 'Civil War' is finally over, Stephen decides to investigate on why he's been coughing so fatally. He himself is a doctor and he finds nothing wrong with his body. Tony had offered to follow him to visit Wong at Kamar-Taj — Wong had gone back since the civil war had ended since Stephen is now present to protect the Sanctum — but Stephen said he would go alone.

He coughs up a few more butterflies after that. He doesn't know why.

Stephen opens a portal into the library, putting his head through it to check if Wong is around. Wong abruptly stops his mild dancing and lip syncing to Beyoncé's Single Ladies as his serene expression changes to one of disgruntlement, "Stephen. What is it?"

"I need your help, Wong. I don't know what's wrong with me, I—" Stephen cuts himself off as he coughs violently, falling through the portal as blue butterflies escape his mouth. 

Wong runs over to help Stephen up and he eyes the butterflies suspiciously before he asks, "How long has that been happening?" 

Stephen answers, allowing Wong to help him onto a chair, "A few weeks now." 

Wong nods, giving him a glass of water as he runs back to the shelves, going through book after book. Stephen watches him, Wong's determination in finding the problem reminding Stephen of Tony in his workshop. Tony would squint his eyes as he bends over the table slightly, paying closer attention to the smaller components of his latest suit. It's nanotech, Stephen believes. Tony, always down in the workshop in that loose black singlet of his, the arc reactor glowing brightly on his chest. It can never outshine his eyes.

Stephen starts choking on the wings and Wong drops the book in his hands as he goes back to his side, patting Stephen's back in an attempt to ease his coughing. The butterflies explore the library and Stephen downs the glass of water, his throat screaming for relief.

Wong comes back to the table with a stack of books, the top one catching Stephen's attention. It's a book about sicknesses. Wong picks it up and turns it to the page he bookmarked earlier, when he dropped the book to help Stephen with his coughing.

"Wong? What's wrong with me?" Stephen asks as Wong reads. 

Wong's expression is unreadable as he says, "You have what is known as Hanahaki disease." 

Stephen tilts his head slightly, questioning, "Alright, do you plan on elaborating?"

"Hanahaki Disease is an illness in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love."

Stephen laughs, startling Wong.

"One-sided love? Wong, you know me. I don't love anyone," Stephen says. 

Wong frowns, closing the book and taking a seat next to Stephen, "I do know you. You don't think you love anyone because you don't want to." 

Stephen blinks as if he doesn't understand as he further asks, "Oh, really? Then who do I love?" 

Wong answers with a question, "You said this started since a few weeks ago. Who have you met then?"

"The Avengers, Peter and Jessica," Stephen replies.

Wong continues, "And who have you spent the most time with?" 

Stephen's list narrows down to Peter, Tony and Jessica and Wong finishes with, "It can't be the teenager and you told me you were gay. You know who it is."

Stephen contemplates the revelation in silence.

"Tony Stark?" Stephen asks, though it comes out sounding more like a statement. 

Wong nods slowly, "I do notice that you seem... lighter, when you return from the compound. When you come back, you don't look like you're carrying the weight of the universe on your shoulders. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to alarm you."

"Love doesn't alarm me," Stephen defends, trying to distract himself from Tony and his feelings. 

Wong raises an eyebrow but reopens the book, reading out, "It ends when the beloved returns their feelings of romantic love, or when the victim dies. It often develops over months or even years, weeks being more rare, beginning with coughing up a few petals and growing in intensity and pain until the victim is vomiting entire flowers, by which point the disease has entered its final stages."

"Wait, you said flowers. I've been regurgitating _butterflies_ ," Stephen points out. It sickens him, being able to faintly feel the wings of the butterflies tickling his lungs and throat, mocking him about Tony and his stupid desire for anything he can't have. Wong reads the page and Stephen watches as Wong's eyes go back to the top of the page before descending to the bottom for the second time. 

Wong says, "Oh, it says that flowers are common. Any other entity is rare. We can deduce that your case of Hanahaki is practically one in a million — it developed over weeks and it's butterflies instead of flowers."

Stephen waves him off, "Unimportant. Is it curable?" 

Wong reads out, "There's a few different paths this disease can take. The most common one is when the victim's lungs get filled with the flowers and roots grow in their respiratory system. They choke on their own blood and petals, and die. The better version is when the object of the victim's love returns their affections, thus making the love no longer unrequited. The victim is then cured of the disease. This may happen spontaneously when the object of affection realizes his love, or the disease may require the object to persuade the victim that their love is mutual. If the victim cannot believe that his beloved returns his love, he will die."

Stephen stares him down before asking, "So I can't do anything about it and will die if Tony doesn't like me back?" 

Wong holds up a finger to request Stephen to wait before he says, "It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim's romantic feelings for their love also disappear." 

Stephen immediately sits up straighter, "That's an option. Christine can operate on me." 

Wong stares at him, disbelieving, "Stephen, you may never love again."

"So?"

Wong is so taken aback by Stephen's genuine confusion towards the statement. Though he himself never really found any point in romantics, he's always looked out for his friends. Since he'd met Stephen, the former neurosurgeon had struggled with the concept of love. Loving others and loving himself, both were — and are still — challenges to him. He'd wanted Stephen to meet someone who could keep up with him, with equal drive, wit and arrogance, with just enough confidence and love for them both. And maybe, just maybe, just enough for Stephen to achieve some of his own.

This man sitting in front of him feels unloved and is unloving. Now that he's faced with this new problem, slapped with the fact that he loves someone that isn't his job, he is perplexed.

"So? _So_?" Wong almost splutters, something he realizes he never does. 

Stephen shrugs, "Well... What difference does it make to me? If I get the surgery then I will never love Tony, never love anyone again. I can focus on my work more that way, it'll be just like before. I'm unlovable, even if I do love Tony, this will never go anywhere. It's not like I deserve someone like him anyway."

Wong almost doesn't believe that he just slapped the Sorcerer Supreme, but he did.

"Wong, what the hell?"

"I needed to slap some sense into you. Stephen Strange. You are more than a doctor, more than a sorcerer. More than a job. You were a brilliant neurosurgeon who saved hundreds of lives, one of the best of New York City. You invented a laminectomy procedure alongside your friend, saving thousands for years to come. Your parents abandoned you for coming out and you never let that keep you down. You could have died in the New York attack, but you put away your trauma to help those that almost did. You survived a car crash that could have potentially killed you. You wouldn't let anything stop you from finding a remedy for your hands. You mastered the mystic arts faster than most. You came to Kamar-Taj to seek healing for your hands, but you left becoming Earth's protector. The Cloak of Levitation deemed you worthy to protect. You died a thousand times to protect the world from Dormammu. You wielded the _Time Stone_ ," Wong says. 

Stephen listens silently, unknowing of how to respond. 

Wong continues, "That is not easy, Stephen. Especially for your skill level back then. Nothing you have done is easy."

"What's your point?"

"If anyone deserves to be loved, it's you," Wong says. His tone is harsh but his words, sincere. 

The next moments are quiet before Stephen nods slowly, joking awkwardly, "That was... uncharacteristically dramatic of you." 

Wong says, "Dramatic or not, I meant it. You are not unlovable and you deserve everything." 

Something else happens that Wong can't believe.

Stephen starts to cry.

Wong stands and pulls Stephen, still seated, to him. Stephen's shaky hands grip at Wong's clothes as he sobs into his chest.

"I just wish I was better, sometimes. I mean, my parents wouldn't have left me if I was better, right? They could have overlooked my sexuality," he struggles and Wong hesitantly places a comforting hand to Stephen's head as Stephen continues crying into his chest. 

Wong replies, "It is their loss that they decided to abandon the bravest surgeon in the universe for something so trivial. You were a doctor who died a thousand times for people who are now still alive because of you. You are a hero, Stephen, and worthy of love."

Stephen whispers, "But Tony... I could never be loved by someone like him. He's strong, he's clever, brave, caring.”

"Stephen, you died traumatically a hundred times and you went back for another nine hundred. You are a surgeon who saved countless lives. You threw your familiar life of surgery away for a world of magic you are still mastering without knowledge of what is to come. You spent your hours in operating rooms saving people so their families don't have to know what it's like to live without them. You are every bit as strong, clever, brave and caring as that Iron Man. You deserve to be loved by someone like him and if he doesn't love you? That will be his regret."

Stephen lets out a choked sob against Wong who lets him be vulnerable, for once in his life.

* * *

"Stephen. You're back."

Stephen is greeted by Jessica who emerges from her room in the compound. Wong had decided to come back to the Sanctum since Stephen was staying at the compound as an on-call Avenger. She looks like she's had a long night, and by long, Stephen really means a very active one. Stephen diverts his attention from the unwanted deduction to the fact that Jessica has upgraded him to a first-name basis.

"Yes, that is evident," Stephen says.

Jessica rolls her eyes, taking a sip from Stephen's coffee before going to get some toast, "So, did you get that butterfly thing looked at? How is it?" 

Stephen answers, "It's just a wizard thing, like you two said. It'll pass." 

Jessica eyes him suspiciously over her toast and says, "You're lying. Halfway."

Stephen raises an amused eyebrow, "How can you possibly tell if I'm lying? Halfway."

Jessica scoffs, "I'm a private investigator. I know how to read body language and tone, all that stuff. You made an unconscious effort to still your hand so I wouldn't read the shakiness as nervousness. In doing that, you ended up giving yourself anyway because your hands naturally shake."

"Impressive."

"Basic," Jessica waves dismissively and Stephen takes a sip from his coffee. He appreciates that in the span of a few weeks, he, Tony, Peter and Jessica had developed some kind of familial bond. They would help Peter with his homework sometimes, Jessica freely eats Tony or Stephen's food without protest from either, Jessica helps Tony with heavy lifting in his workshop and Stephen helps them all get around. He appreciates it. "So what is it really?"

"You can't tell Tony," Stephen says.

She nods, "Easy. I don't tell him a lot of things. What is it?" 

He sets the cup down carefully, making sure that his shaky hands don't cause him to drop the cup and he says, "I have something Wong calls Hanahaki Disease. Apparently it happens when the victim suffers from one-sided love." 

Jessica stares at him wordlessly for a while before she asks, "And you love Tony? Bit quick for love, ain't it? It's only been around two months?" 

Stephen frowns, "I don't know. I have this stupid illness so it means I like someone. It can't possibly be any of the former Avengers, I've only actually spoken to Rogers and Barnes and I don't like them. Can't be Peter, he’s a teenager."

Jessica teases, "And why can't it be me?" 

Stephen hesitates before he says quietly, "I'm gay." 

Jessica's joking manner drops immediately and she pauses before saying, "I'm fine with that, which shouldn't even matter because it _is_ fine. Love whoever you wanna love. Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me, Stephen." 

Stephen gives her a grateful smile for her acceptance and she grins, "If anyone ever tries to give you shit for it, tell me. I'll kick their ass."

"Thank you," Stephen says sincerely.

Jessica gives him her extra toast, "It's basic human decency. Don't need to thank me. But anyway, we're diverging from the topic. Tony. What are you gonna do about him?" 

Stephen shrugs, accepting the toast and taking a bite from it, "For once in my life, I don't know. Got any ideas?"

"Well, I _could_ force him to love you back," Jessica says, feigning seriousness, and Stephen laughs. He likes that Jessica is fooling around to make Stephen less tense about the situation. The cover soon drops, however, as Jessica asks, "Is this curable?" 

Stephen answers, "From what Wong and I read about it, it's curable if I confess or if I get surgery. If the love isn't genuinely returned, I'll keep having the illness until I die. If I get surgery, I might never love him or anyone ever again." 

Jessica frowns, "Both equally suck. I wish I could help."

Stephen gives her a faint smile, "You're already a big help, Jess." 

She returns the expression and downs the rest of Stephen's coffee, "Yeah, yeah. I'm leaving before this gets sappy. I'm gonna go meet Luke at his bar. Text me if you need me or you know, just portal me back here. See you."

"Tell Luke I said hello. See you."

Jessica leaves the compound, leaving Stephen alone with a half-eaten piece of toast and an empty cup of coffee.

* * *

"Dude. No way."

"Yes way," Peter laughs, throwing down a +4 Uno card. Ned groans and MJ high-fives Peter, watching Ned take four new cards from the deck.

MJ was the latest addition to the club of people who knew Spiderman's identity and now Peter was telling them about his first fight with the Avengers — against half the Avengers. 

Ned asks, taking a potato chip from Peter, "Did Captain America talk to you?" 

Peter shrugged, "He threw a truck onto me asked me where I was from. Kinda weird how he threw that truck without knowing if I could carry it, but whatever, I guess." 

MJ scoffs, putting down a yellow 5 card, "He's a dick."

"I'm fine, though! It was so cool, seeing the Avengers. I saw Iron Man a long time ago, when he saved my life. He inspired me to go to our school and become Spiderman when the bite happened," Peter says, placing down a red 5. 

Ned grins, "I still think it's so freaking cool that you're an Avenger." 

Peter shakes his head as Ned puts down a red 2, "I'm not an Avenger. Yet. Mr Stark hasn't said anything about that." 

MJ throws another red 2, "You fought alongside Iron Man. You're an Avenger." 

Peter laughs, putting out a green 2, "I wish. Oh! Ned, there was a _wizard_!"

"A wizard? Like Harry Potter?" Ned asks, taken with Peter's information. 

Peter shakes his head while Ned puts out a green 8, "No. He's so much cooler. He can make portals and become a ghost. Plus, he has this cape that helps him fly!" 

Ned marvels, "He's so cool. I bet he's a new Avenger. What's his name?"

"Doctor Strange," MJ answers. 

When Peter and Ned give her a surprised look, she rolls her eyes, "What? I keep up with this city. I know there's a wizard hero here. He lives at Bleecker Street or something." 

Peter shakes his head once more, "He's staying at the Avengers compound, last I checked." 

Ned excitedly says, "Oh my God, you're so cool. You're friends with the Avengers. Can you tell Mr Stark I love him?" 

Peter laughs, "Okay."

Before anyone can say anything else, Peter's phone rings and his eyes widen, "Guys, it's Mr Stark."

Ned and MJ shut up and watch as Peter answers the call and Ned almost faints as Tony's voice comes through, " _Hey, kid. We need you back at the compound. How far are you?_ " 

Peter answers, "Um, I'll need maybe half an hour?"

There's a pause, but it's clear that Tony is talking to someone else before he asks, " _Where are you? Specifically._ " 

Peter replies, glancing at Ned, "Ned's place. It's not too far from school, I—"

A portal opens up in the bedroom, orange sparks forming a circle as Tony Stark steps through, dressed in orange sunglasses and navy blue suit. Ned's jaw drops and MJ looks unknowing of how to react as Peter gets up from his place on the floor excitedly. 

Tony removes his sunglasses and turns to Ned, "You're Ned, right? The kid's boyfriend?" 

Ned and Peter's eyes widen and Peter says, "Mr Stark, Ned isn't my boyfriend. And MJ isn't my girlfriend. I'm single, so..." 

Tony nods, glancing around the room in an uninterested manner, "Sure, kid. Nice to meet you both. I need to steal Peter from you, that's fine?" 

Both nod and look behind Tony in the portal, seeing Doctor Strange and some black-haired woman on the other side of the portal. Stephen coughs hard and the portal flickers, making the woman and Tony both turn towards him in concern. Tony steps back through the portal, putting an arm around Stephen to help him to sit while Jessica goes to the closing portal, pulling Peter through. Ned and MJ watch it all in awe.

"Leeds, Iron Man is bi, right?" MJ asks.

Ned nods slowly, "Yeah, he dated Pepper Potts before Captain America." 

MJ slowly starts to grin, "Oh, he and the wizard are so fucking."

* * *

"Mr Stark, what'd you need me here for?" Peter asks.

Tony answers, setting Stephen down as Jessica passes him some water, "We need to run over a couple things with you. I don't think you're safe in that apartment of yours." 

Peter hesitates and asks, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Rogers and co. broke out of prison a while back," Jessica fills in. "Tony doesn't think you're safe if you stay at your apartment because the Ex-vengers might get you."

"Ex-vengers? Whatever. Okay, so I'll tell your Aunt May that I'm taking you away for the Stark Internship thing again, and you come live here. You can train without worrying that she'll walk in on you, do your homework in peace. Aunt May will be watched over, don't worry. Stephen can portal you to school, I can help you with your homework... It'll be like it's always been, just that you're here and we can make sure you're safe," Tony says.

Stephen puts a hand on his arm, "Tony, you're rambling." 

Tony nods and turns to Peter who says after a pause, "So I get to live with the Avengers and Aunt May will be safe?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God, that's so cool," Peter gasps before he frowns. "But is this really necessary? I mean, I kind of beat the Winter Soldier and the Falcon all by myself."

Tony doesn't even think before he says, "You're like my son, Peter. I just want to watch over you." 

Peter blinks and he asks quietly, "Really?" 

Jessica raises her eyebrows and takes a seat, watching the 'show' in front of her. 

Tony nods, "Yes, Peter, you... You've somehow become one of the most important parts of my life. You're like... like a son I always wished I had."

"Well, you're the father I wished I had," Peter smiles back.

Tony didn’t realize how much this kid actually meant to him until he hears those words come from Peter himself. 

Peter Parker, his _son_. 

“Well, this is nice and whatever, but we need to know, are you staying here or not?” Jessica interrupts. 

Peter nods, “Yes! I would love to! Oh my God, Ned is so gonna freak about this.” 

Tony’s hand settles unconsciously on Stephen’s thigh as he laughs in relief, “Yeah, that kid can come visit if he wants.”

Tony’s hand on his leg and just how easy his laugh is, Stephen can’t help but cough out the butterflies. The coughing has been increasing in pain now and Stephen doesn’t know how long he can keep going like this. The illness has already proven its inconvenience during the fight in Siberia. This isn’t good for work.

_You are more than a job_ , Wong’s voice rings through his head.

_Right._ Stephen squeezes his eyes shut as he coughs harder into his hand, wincing as he sees the crimson blood. Tony is all over it when he sees it, grabbing the tissues that Peter hands to him and wiping the blood off Stephen’s hand and then off his lips. 

Jessica looks on for a while before she goes over, taking the tissue from Tony and saying, “I’ll take over. Tony looks like he’s seen a ghost or something.” Stephen appreciates that Jessica is minimizing contact between them to alleviate the disease, even by a little bit.

“Please, a ghost doesn’t scare me. The people I care about sick with some weird sickness I don’t know about? _That_ scares me,” Tony replies. “Say, you went to the Kamar-Taj to find out what’s wrong, right? What happened with that?”

“It’ll pass,” Jessica says, shooting Stephen a look that he recognizes as ‘I’ll cover for you this once, but you better tell him soon’. 

He nods and Tony frowns slightly, “If you say so. Just tell me if you need anything. If I’m not around, FRIDAY will be more than willing to help you.”

Peter grins, “Me too, now that I’ll be staying here! I need to go get my things from the place, say goodbye to Aunt May —“

“Kid, relax. I’m not forcing you to stay here forever, you can always go back and say hi. Think of it more like a… boarding school situation, but less intense. Does that make sense? It’s like the compound is your dorm, basically,” Tony gives up on the explanation. 

As Peter makes his way to the door, Tony turns back to give Stephen one last look, “You’ll be okay, right? Jess, take care of him?” 

Jessica rolls her eyes as if it’s obvious that she will and Stephen smiles, “It was just a cough, Tony. I’ll be fine without you.” 

Tony hesitates and he waves his phone to Stephen before following Peter out the door.

* * *

“She didn’t dump me, you know. I dumped her. It was a mutual dumping.”

_What the hell is this?_

Thor Odinson waves goodbye to a two fans and he turns back to Loki, noticing something going on around him. 

He furrows his eyebrows and gestures to Loki’s feet, asking, “What’s this, what are you doing?” Loki looks down to see that the sidewalk has started to glow with orange sparks beneath his feet. 

Loki frowns, “This… isn’t me.”

He suddenly falls into the portal, it closing as soon as Loki vanishes. A small card appears where Loki fell through and 

Thor pokes it suspiciously with his umbrella, partially anticipating the card to actually be a shape-shifted Loki waiting to just stab him, “Loki?” 

Once Thor accepts that it’s not Loki — the arrogant God of Mischief would never let Thor poke him with an umbrella — he picks it up and reads it: 177A Bleecker Street.

Thor manages to locate 177A Bleecker Street, seeing the Sanctum Sanctorum. The place isn’t familiar to the God but Loki must be here, so he goes up and knocks the door twice before he’s suddenly inside the building, standing in the middle of a room.

“Thor Odinson.”

From a dark corner, Thor sees the silhouette of a man who drifts towards him. 

The man continues, “God of Thunder.” 

He has black hair that grays at his temples and facial hair that Thor knows he’s seen on Tony before, but Thor simply doesn’t know him. 

He holds up his ratty umbrella, ready to defend himself, and the man says, “You can put down the umbrella.” 

Thor eyes him sideways but relents, setting his umbrella down in an umbrella stand that he’s _sure_ wasn’t there before. When he looks back up, the environment is furnished.

“So earth has wizards now?” Thor asks, amused. 

The man corrects, “The preferred term is ‘Master of the Mystic Arts’.” 

Thor replies, “Alright wizard, who are you? Why should I care?” 

The caped wizard answers, “My name is Doctor Stephen Strange and I have some questions for you. Take a seat.”

Suddenly, Thor finds himself seated across from Stephen in comfortable high-backed chairs. 

Stephen holds up a cup of tea and offers, “Tea?” 

Thor realizes that a cup of tea has appeared in his hands and he says, “I don’t drink tea.” 

Stephen nods, asking, “What do you drink?” 

Thor aims for a vague answer, “Not tea.” 

The cup of tea has become a a stein of beer. He chugs it down, but when he brings the glass back down, it refills itself.

“So I keep a watch list of individuals and beings from other realms that may be a threat to this world. Your adopted brother Loki is one of these beings,” Stephen explains. 

Thor nods understandingly, “He’s a worthy inclusion.” 

Stephen follows up, “Then why bring him here?” 

“We’re looking for my father,” Thor answers.

“So. If you were to tell you where Odin was, all parties concerned would promptly return to Asgard?” Stephen specifies.

Thor affirms, “Promptly.” 

Stephen gives him a quick smile, “Great. Then I’ll help you.” 

Thor watches the wizard weirdly, “If you knew where he was, why didn’t you call me?” 

Stephen answers, “I have to tell you, he was adamant that he not be disturbed. Your father said he had chosen to remain in exile. And you don’t have a phone.”

“No, I don’t have a phone, but you could have sent an electronic letter. It’s called an email,” Thor points out. 

Stephen raises an eyebrow at him and asks, “Yeah, do you have a computer?” 

Thor replies, “No. What for?” 

Stephen blinks, attempting to understand Thor. _Has Tony never thought about giving this god a phone? How the hell did they ever contact him when they needed him around? This was just absurd. How does he know what an email is and not know why he needs a computer? He’s been in a building owned by one of the best engineers in the world with an AI that takes care of its guests and residents, does he seriously not know any of this?_

Thor continues, “Anyway, my father is no longer in exile. So if you could tell me where he is, I can take him home.” 

Stephen answers, “Gladly. He’s in Norway.” 

He stands up and Thor realizes that they are now standing by a bookcase. Thor reaches out to the bookcase to steady himself, not used to the teleportation. He finds more comfort in using the Bifrost or Mjölnir to travel. 

Stephen takes down an ancient book and flips through it, “I’m just seeing whether this incantation requires any Asgardian modifications.” 

Thor asks, taking notice of a pair of orange sunglasses Tony had accidentally left behind the last time he’d visited the Sanctum, “You know the Man of Iron?” 

Stephen nods, “Yes, I do. And nope, nothing in this book.”

They are both abruptly teleported across the room at Stephen’s work station. Because Thor was touching the bookcase, he has magically brought it across the room as well. 

Stephen looks over at the bookcase and notes, “Oh, we don’t need that.” 

Thor is back where he formerly was, bringing the bookcase back to its original position. Books fall off the shelf and Thor’s beer spills. 

He’s queasy and unsteady from the teleporting and he asks, slightly irritated, “Will you stop doing that?” 

Stephen ignores him and Thor decides to attempt to change the topic, just to stop the wizard from teleporting him again too soon, “How has Stark been?” 

Stephen answers, not looking up from the book, “He’s fine. Avengers aren’t. I need just one strand of your hair.” 

Thor was about to say something about the Avengers not being fine but at the mention of his hair, he argues, “Let me explain something, my hair is not to be meddled wi—“ 

Stephen appears behind Thor, plucking a strand of Thor’s hair, much to the protest of Thor. He extends the hair, infuses it with magic, does a few gestures that create a bright light and they teleport to the bottom of some stairs. Stephen is standing while Thor rolls down the stairs.

A magic portal leading into a peaceful meadow opens beside Stephen and Thor complains, “We could have just walked.”

_Did Tony really deal with this? Jesus, these gods complain a lot_ , Stephen thinks, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. 

He gestures towards the portal and says, “He’s waiting for you.” 

Thor nods and he asks, “What did you mean the Avengers aren’t fine? Are they in danger?” 

Stephen shakes his head, “They had a disagreement and broke up.”

Thor processes the fact and continues, “What has happened to them?” 

Stephen answers, “Short version is that Barnes killed Tony’s parents, Rogers knew but never told Tony. Then there’s the Accords, which Tony and Rogers disagreed on. We fought, Rogers left Tony and I to die in Siberia and Rhodey is paralyzed from the waist down.” 

Thor stares at him silently and he frowns, “Tell Stark I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

“Will do. Don’t forget your umbrella.”

“Yes,” Thor recalls. He extends his arm and holds out his hand. Crashing noises are heard and Stephen contemplates the mess he has to clean up after the gods are gone and Thor apologizes as the umbrella flies into his hand. “I suppose I’ll need my brother back.” 

Stephen opens a portal and Thor hears screaming. From above, Loki falls out of the portal. He lands hard on the floor and staggers to his feet, on edge and confused. 

He shouts, “I have been falling… for _thirty minutes_!” 

_They really_ do _complain a lot._

“You can handle him from here,” Stephen nods towards Loki.

Thor smiles, shaking Stephen’s hand, “Yeah, of course. Thank you very much for your help.” 

Stephen wishes him good luck and Loki asks, appalled, “ _Handle_ _me_? Who are you?” 

Thor turns to him and Loki draws daggers into each hand, ready to attack Stephen. Thor holds up a hand to him uselessly, as if he’s so tired with Loki’s gimmicks that he can’t summon the energy to actually attempt to stop him. 

Loki insults, “You think you’re some kind of sorcerer? Don’t think for one minute, you second-rate…"

“Bye-bye,” Stephen interrupts, pulling the portal over them.


	4. the universe has judged you. you asked it for a prize and it told you no.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony reveals some happy news, Jessica aids Stephen and Tony feels alive again.
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!

Stephen has only worsened since he assisted Thor, and that was just two months before. (Four months since first meeting the Avengers.)

Since then, Peter has moved into the compound. Jessica’s apartment was finally fixed and Jessica went back. She mentioned that she liked the ‘Alias Investigations’ door and Tony said it wasn’t any trouble. She does still drop by, occasionally with her boyfriend Luke Cage. The former Avengers have gone off the grid. SHIELD is looking for them and have asked Tony for help, though Tony refused and just sat it out.

T’Challa had gotten in contact with Tony a while back, informing him that the former Avengers have taken up refuge in Wakanda and that Barnes was getting the care he needs. It had taken Tony some time to get over the fact that his parents’ murderer was getting cared for, but Stephen managed to convince him that it wasn’t Bucky’s fault but rather HYDRA’s. 

“I mean, don’t you think it’s ironic? Like he’s getting awarded for everyone he killed,” Tony had said once the video conference with T’Challa and Shuri had ended. 

Stephen sighed and said, “I know how you feel, but think clearly. He was brainwashed by HYDRA to become some kind of hitman. He was following orders, a prisoner in his own mind.” 

Tony hesitated and Stephen hit him with, “You should know what that’s like. You were imprisoned in your father’s shadow, his legacy. He’s trapped in missions he believes to be right. Isn’t that familiar?”

Tony thought about it before he nodded slowly, “I guess…” 

Stephen carried on, “As much as I understand this hatred towards him, I have to admit that it’s unjustly. He had no choice. Okay, I know that look you’re giving me. I’m not defending Barnes, I’m just trying to get you to understand his side of things. He should be getting help. I imagine forceful brainwashing and killing against one’s will is quite traumatic. He used to be a soldier, ninety years later he’s murdering the people he swore to protect.”

“You’re right,” Tony finally agreed.

He, Tony and Peter have been spending more time together due to them taking up the same place of residency. They’ve grown a lot closer, of course. Tony and Stephen would help Peter with homework, Tony gave Peter tips on how to improve his Spiderman suit and Stephen got them around conveniently. Sometimes, Tony would get anxiety attacks in the middle of the night and Stephen would go over to his room to help him, then Tony would end up mesmerized yet worried about the butterflies that would ensue.

When the sixth month hits, Aunt May has passed on, killed in a car accident. Tony follows it up with some news three weeks after the grieving.

He's adopting Peter.

The idea is greeted with happiness and Peter's excited tears. Jessica is glad that Peter gets to continue his life comfortably, under the care of Iron Man. Tony is more than happy to raise Peter, Peter is immediately telling Ned and MJ about it. Stephen is just happy that his family is so happy, that Tony is happy.

That seems to be all that matters to Stephen these days.

Wong and Jessica urge him to tell Tony about his feelings before the Hanahaki gets worse but Stephen absolutely refuses to say anything about it, afraid of the impending rejection. Peter and Tony get increasingly worried as Stephen's condition just continues to escalate.

Stephen tells them he's fine.

* * *

"Jess, hey," Tony calls, walking into Peter's room. 

Jessica turns away from a mostly one-sided conversation about Peter's day at school to face Tony, "Yeah?"

"Is Strange okay? He's getting worse, I thought you said this was gonna pass," Tony says, shutting the door behind them. 

Peter nods, frowning and abandoning his school day talk, "I'm worried about Mr Dr Strange. He keeps puking butterflies." 

Tony rolls his eyes fondly, "Kid, you can shorten it to just Mr or Dr. Mr Dr Strange is kinda excessive." 

Peter apologizes bashfully and Jessica shrugs, "I don't know. Have you asked him?" 

Tony frowns, taking a seat on the bed next to Peter, "He keeps saying he's fine but I know he's not. He just doesn't want to tell me and I want to help him but I can't if I don't know what's going on. So what is it, Jess?"

Jessica hesitates, wondering if she should tell Tony everything now. _Hey, Tony. So Stephen is vomiting butterflies and basically dying because he think you don't love him back. Oh, he's also practically in love with you, so that's fun._ She isn't really looking forward to that conversation — plus Stephen is a sorcerer who can literally send her to some kind of dark dimension if she got on his bad side — so she settles for, "Magic gone wrong, I think. He and Wong have been trying to find a way to resolve it." _Well, it's technically not wrong._

Tony stares her down suspiciously before he finally relents, "Okay. But if I find out you're lying, you are so dead, Jones." 

Jessica rolls her eyes, scoffing, "Yeah, I can actually crush you without even trying, Stark." 

Tony jokes, "Yeah, yeah, we get it, you're strong."

Just how strong is Jessica, really? She just lied to her friend to protect another.

* * *

It has been barely six months but Stephen is falling for Tony faster than he thought he would, and the realization hits him like a bullet train.

Here's the thing — Tony _cares_. Tony cares like Stephen's never felt in his entire life. Most people who know about Stephen's hands, they don't pay it much mind. Of course, while Stephen prefers the lack of attention towards his disability, he also can't say he likes when they blame him for doing things he can't help but do. After the accident, Christine had gotten him a watch as a kind of get-better-soon present. He couldn't put it on without help and Christine had teased him about it. While she meant no intentional harm, it made Stephen feel like shit. Sometimes, Wong forgets that Stephen's hands are damaged and he gives him a heavy stack of books to help file back into shelves. Stephen's hands would ache and tingle for hours afterwards but he felt weird about complaining so he didn't. Wong would realize later and apologize.

Occasionally, Jessica and Peter forget too, obviously not on purpose, and they feel terrible afterwards. They've had their moments — Peter would give Stephen an unnecessarily hard high-five which leaves Stephen wincing and Peter apologizing profusely. Jessica, simply out of her natural spiteful need to get the last word in and not malice, would jab at Stephen's hands in an argument before she would berate herself and say sorry afterwards.

But Tony? Tony never forgets, but he treats it so naturally it's as if Stephen's hands were never damaged.

It's a quiet night and Pepper has decided to come over for dinner per Tony's invitation. Peter is at Ned's place and Jessica at Luke's. Vision has long turned off his transponder and gone off the grid.Pepper had gotten them sushi.

"Tony asked for sushi. Said he saw you use chopsticks a couple times," Pepper says, beaming to him as she passes him his sushi. Tony shoots him a grin as he gives him chopsticks.

Pepper makes the mistake of giving Stephen a hot mug of tea and Stephen's hands jerk, dropping the mug. As if it isn't bad enough, his instincts lead him to try to pick it up before it falls. It shatters before his hands reach it and he gets cut by a fragment.

"Ah, fuck," Stephen hisses, watching the crimson blood leak from his hand. Instantly, Tony is out of his seat and Pepper is apologizing.

"Oh my God, I didn't think. I'm so sorry," Pepper says, watching him worriedly as Tony uses his shoe to push the fragments away from Stephen. 

Stephen mumbles bitterly, "Everyone's sorry." 

Tony gently takes Stephen's cut hand in his own, checking the wound. Stephen coughs and the butterflies come out once again, much to Pepper's surprise.

"No fragments. That's good. Okay, we need to wash the wound. Come with me?" Tony asks.

Tony is gentle. Stephen barely notices the pain of the water on his cut when Tony is just right there. It's almost as if Tony is anesthetic — Stephen internally laughs at the notion — but outwardly, he's too far gone. Tony is too beautiful.

"Done. Okay, wait here? I'll get the bandages," Tony says, drying off his hands with a towel. Stephen nods and waits at the kitchen island and Tony returns not long after with the bandage. He carefully wraps up Stephen's hand. When he's done, he turns Stephen's palm over, staring at the long lines that stretch over Stephen's fingers. 

Stephen says, self-deprecating, "They're not pretty."

"Stephen, your hands are perfect," Tony says softly.

"First time you're calling me by my first name," Stephen observes, trying to press down the butterflies threatening to come up. 

Tony presses a light kiss against Stephen's knuckles and smiles up at him, "Yeah, first time for everything, right?"

At that moment, Stephen realizes, he's fallen and he's never going to get back up ever again.

The butterflies have a lot to say about that. Stephen doesn't get any sleep that night, he has to spend his hours washing blood off his pillow from coughing too much in bed.

* * *

Tony has seen many things in his line of work, but he has never seen Stephen Strange break.

It's nearer to two in the morning and he's been working on the blueprints for his latest suit, some nanotech armor. Of course, when he feels his eyes begin to close, he decides to get coffee. When he walks into the kitchen, he's surprised to see Stephen seated alone at the kitchen island, hands shaking more than usual with an untouched cup of tea on the counter. Stephen looks horrified and Tony swears he sees dried tears on his cheeks.

"Stephen? You okay?" Tony asks quietly so as to not startle Stephen. 

The sorcerer doesn't answer and Tony starts growing worried, nearing him, "Stephen." 

He touches Stephen's arm and he jerks his arm away, staring at Tony like he's seen a ghost.

"Woah, hey. It's just me. You're safe, you're in the compound. You're fine," Tony says quickly. 

Stephen's breathing starts to relax and he brings his raised arm back down, rubbing his face with his hands, "I'm sorry. It's just… It's been a bad night." 

Tony nods, sitting across from Stephen, "Yeah, we all have that. What kept you up?" 

Stephen doesn't answer for a while and Tony almost tells him he doesn't have to talk about it when Stephen finally says, "The dark dimension."

Tony recognizes the term, "You never told us about that. Wong won't tell me about it either. What happened?”

"I died, Tony. A thousand times. Dormammu, this multi-dimensional being, he was dangerous and I needed to keep the universe safe, so I put us in a time loop. He would kill me, and then I would come back again and again. It's horrible, I remember every time he killed me. As much as I hate to admit it, it _hurts_ ," Stephen almost whimpers the last word and he kicks himself internally for being so weak. "Everything hurts so _badly_. I remember everything."

Tony observes Stephen's shaky hands clawing absently at his own skin, as if unconsciously checking if he truly is still intact. 

He remains silent for a while and Stephen continues, "When I went back the second time, I thought he would catch on, end it there before he ended up with a lifetime commitment. But he kept going. And I kept going back, asking him to kill me, tear me apart again and again. He stopped, but I haven't had peaceful sleep since then. My body hurts so much."

"Stephen, I didn't know that happened to you. I'm sorry," Tony begins, reaching out tentatively to gently rest his fingers reassuringly on Stephen's arm. "I'm here to tell you, it's over. You won. Dormammu is gone, he can't hurt you anymore. I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

Stephen coughs into his sleeve and Tony watches the butterflies with an odd sense of familiarity yet formality. They've been around long enough for Tony to not freak out every time Stephen releases them, yet it's so weird to see it happen and not know why it does.

"How's the butterfly thing going? Jess said you and Wong have been looking for solutions, magic gone wrong," Tony says.

Stephen shrugs, immediately closing off, "It's under control. You don't have to worry."

There Stephen goes again. Acting so tall when he feels so small.

* * *

Stephen worsens and Jessica worries.

She doesn't know what to do. She can see it in the way Stephen looks at Tony, she can see that he's head over heels for the engineer. Willing to do anything for him even if he's known the man for a mere seven months. She can see how Stephen instantly cheers up when Tony walks into the room, talking about how Peter scored an A on his test or about advancements in his nanotech suit (it's on its sixth prototype, last Jessica heard.)

She sees how Tony makes Stephen's smile so light when the doctor's heart is so heavy.

Stephen still refuses to tell Tony no matter how hard Jessica tries to convince him to. Wong is at his wit's end as well, aiding Jessica in attempting to get him to just _say something, God damn it._ He doesn't.

She takes Stephen out to shop for Peter's birthday, wanting to talk him into telling Tony about his feelings, because frankly the butterflies are getting increasingly worrying for Jessica to witness. She has been spending more and more nights at the compound recently, having to get up in the middle of the night sometimes to wake Stephen up before he chokes on his own blood and the wings.

"It's not happening," Stephen mutters as they walk into a music shop, hoping to find a record that Peter would like. 

Jessica frowns, "Look, Stephen, I can't just stand around and watch you fucking kill yourself over Tony. I…" 

She sighs, rolling her eyes as if she can't believe herself, before she continues, "I care too much about you to let you die. _Tony_ cares too much about you to let you die."

"He doesn't, nobody does," Stephen mumbles. Jessica flinches, partially from irritation and partially from how Stephen's self-hate is truly hitting her now. 

She tries, Stephen picking up an AC/DC record, "Come on, he does. He always asks me if you're okay and that you can always go to him if you need him. He's gonna be there for you no matter what. He loves you, Stephen. Romantically or platonically."

Stephen suddenly starts choking, dropping the record as he collapses, grabbing at his throat desperately as the butterflies fly out, crowding the area around them in the store. Jessica immediately bends down to help him and he puts a hand up to his mouth, trying not to get any blood on the floors of the store. 

Jessica asks anxiously, "Stephen? What's going on?" 

He answers weakly, his voice raspy, "It's been too long. I'm dying."

"No, no. Wait. Quick, just call Tony. I'll dial him for you —"

Stephen stops her before she can call Tony and she stares at him, adrenaline pumping through her body to the point where it's thudding loudly in her ears. She's horrified — her friend is dying and he doesn't want to stop it —

"I need to get them out," Stephen wheezes and Jessica hesitates. 

She knows how difficult it is to come out, to accept oneself — her friend Matthew Murdock was bisexual and it took him a long time. It was easier since he couldn't see gender. Hogarth was gay and Jessica knows it isn't easy. Which leads her to her conundrum — does she let Stephen throw all his struggle away? Years and years of crying and self-loathing and Stephen is going to let it go to waste. Jessica knows that the bigger problem here is whether Stephen lives or not, but a part of her — the stupid part that cares too much for her own good — can't stop thinking about a younger Stephen, wishing he was dead because he thought he was an abomination for loving who he loved.

“Any particular hospital in mind?” Jessica finally asks.

She knows what it’s like. She remembers wanting to find a specific hospital because it gives her comfort knowing someone there, someone she can trust. Something so major like what Stephen has, she’s sure he has a choice in where he wants to go.

“Metro-General. The one I used to work at.”

Jessica nods and waves down a taxi, helping Stephen in before getting in herself. 

Stephen starts coughing up blood and butterflies and she says to the driver, “Metro-General Hospital! Step on it.” The taxi driver obeys, slightly frightened by the sight of butterflies and blood on Stephen. She puts an awkward hand on his shoulder to comfort him and uses her free hand to text Tony: ‘ _Metro-General hospital. Stephen needs you._ ’

She instantly gets a reply: ‘ _On my way. What’s going on?_ ’ She types back, glancing over at Stephen to check if he’s worsening: _‘Long story. Just get here._ ’ Tony’s reply comes quick: ‘ _I have the time._ ’ She sends: ‘ _Stephen has something called Hanahaki. It’s common in magic people. They get it when they have an unrequited lover._ ’

‘ _I can bring whoever it is to the hospital. Who is it?_ ’

Jessica hesitates, looking over at Stephen as she contemplates if she should tell Tony. She shakes her head, typing:

‘ _It’s you._ ’

The three dots appear, disappear, then reappear again before it drops. Jessica sighs in frustration, wishing she hadn’t said anything before a reply pops up.

‘ _I’m coming. Wait for me._ ’

* * *

Christine Palmer hasn’t seen Stephen Strange in months. Not since they broke up, when Stephen told her he couldn’t love her the way she deserved to be because he was gay. She wasn’t homophobic but it hurt to know that he never loved her as much as she loved him. She always held the silent hope that she would see him again. She just didn’t expect that to happen the way it did — a black-haired woman supporting him as she walked them down the hallway towards her.

“Stephen? What’s going on? Who is she?” Christine asks. 

The woman answers, giving Stephen a worried glance when he wheezes painfully, “My name is Jessica Jones. You’re Christine Palmer?” 

Christine nods and Jessica continues, “Stephen is dying. Please help him.”

“ _Dying_? What’s wrong with him?” Christine jumps into doctor mode, walking down the hall to an operating room while Jessica follows, practically dragging Stephen with her. He’s too weak to even walk on his own so Jessica has his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his waist, helping him.

“He has something called Hanahaki, it happens to people who practice magic,” Jessica starts. At the sight of Christine’s bewildered stare, she sighs in irritation, “Long story. Go with it. He basically pukes butterflies because someone doesn’t love him back. He’s currently coughing up blood and the butterfly wings are clogging his lungs, so unless you operate on him and get the butterflies out, he will die.”

“Any aftereffects? If I don’t mess this op up,” Christine asks, nearing the operating room.

Jessica answers, “He’ll never love again. I know, I didn’t want him to go through with the op either, but it’s too late. He’s dying now, and if this op doesn’t happen? Him never loving anyone ever again is the least of our concerns. So how goes it?”

“It took him so long to come to terms with the fact that he loved men…” Christine trails off. “I feel like I’m not doing him any favors if I erase that. I know it was hard for him to —“

“I know how it can be. I know it was hard for him to accept himself, accept who he loved. I know this feels wrong, like it shouldn’t happen. But he is _dying_ , Palmer,” Jessica says firmly. Her expression is hard, but Christine senses a hint of guilt in her tone as well.

“Christine… It won’t matter if I never love again if I’m dead. Just do it,” Stephen pleads weakly. “He will never love me back and I will die if you don’t get these out. _Please_ , Christine.”

"No. Steph—"

"The universe has judged me, Christine. I asked it for a prize and it told me _no_ ," Stephen says, his voice decreasing in volume with every word that passes from his lips. There are even more blue butterflies hovering around them now, Christine realizes. She presses her lips together anxiously, her hand resting on the door knob of the operating room. Before she can open the door, a familiar voice stops Jessica and Stephen.

“Wait! Wait. Stephen.”

All three turn towards Tony. His hair is a mess and he looks like he ran the whole way — Jessica knows that’s impossible and that he absolutely didn’t, but he definitely looks the part. 

Stephen asks wearily, more blood dripping down his chin, “Tony… What are you doing here?”

“Jess texted me. I—I came here immediately. She told me what’s wrong with you,” Tony says hurriedly and he nears Stephen who shoots Jessica a disappointed look. 

She ignores it and Tony continues, “Don’t blame her. I wish you told me about it sooner. Stephen, you… You have been the best part of my life since the whole ‘civil war’ thing with Rogers. You protected me, you fought with me twice and both times you put me before you. I learnt to trust you faster than I’ve ever trusted anyone. And I guess… you just became a priority for me. For the first time since Rogers dumped me years ago, I felt alive, all because I heard you laugh.”

“Where is this going?” Stephen interrupts, coughing up more butterflies. Some blood drips onto the linoleum floor and Jessica turns to him in concern. Tony moves closer and Jessica sets Stephen down on the floor gently, letting Tony cup Stephen’s face.

“You’re so beautiful, and I am so in love with you,” Tony says delicately.

Nothing Tony Stark says has ever been delicate. It’s always been sharp, sarcastic, blunt. The gentleness of Tony’s words surprises Jessica but she doesn’t comment on it. Christine watches on in confusion.

The butterflies around them evaporate and Tony uses a thumb to wipe the blood off Stephen’s lips, saying softly, "You're fucking _magical_. Never doubt that I love you, Stephen."

Stephen wants to avoid every cliché, but he can't help but admit that when they finally kiss, the butterflies are all over, tingling him in excitement instead of agony.

For the first time in a long time, the butterflies are painless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extremely short chapter compared to the first three, but this is the second last chapter. The final one will be longer and the epilogue will compensate. 
> 
> The final chapter will take place two years after this chapter.
> 
> We are in the endgame now.


	5. your world in the balance and you bargain for one man.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love is a choice you make again and again.
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!

**TWO YEARS LATER**

**SANCTUM SANCTORUM**

“Seriously? You don't have any money?” Stephen asks, walking down the steps of the Sanctum.

Wong follows close behind, answering, “Attachment to the material is detachment from the spiritual.” 

Stephen rolls his eyes, “I'll tell Tony's chef. Maybe he'll make you a metaphysical Ham and Rye.” 

Wong goes through his pocket, pulling out a few coins and notes, counting, “Wait, wait. I think I got a 200.” 

Stephen stops walking and asks, “Dollars?” 

Wong specifies, “Rupees.” 

“Which is?”

“Uh, buck and a half.”

Stephen sighs, continuing his descending of the staircase, “What do you want?” 

Wong shrugs, “I wouldn't say no to a Tuna Melt.” 

Before they can even make it to the bottom, something crashes through the ceiling and the staircase behind them. They exchange looks and start running towards the giant hole in the steps, the Cloak flying over to settle on Stephen’s shoulders, ready for a fight. Stephen recognizes him — Bruce Banner. Tony’s friend who was presumed dead after his disappearance years ago.

His skin fades back to normal from green and he mumbles almost incoherently, clearly rattled, “Thanos is coming. He's coming…”

Stephen and Wong don’t find themselves familiar with the name and Stephen asks, “Who?”

* * *

**PARK**

“Slow down. I'm totally not kidding. No, I'm not,” Tony says.

Pepper rolls her eyes, “You lost me.”

Tony reexplains, “Look, you know how you're having a dream, and in the dream you gotta pee?”

Pepper nods, “Yeah.”

Tony smiles, glad that she’s following, “Okay, then you're like, my God, there's no bathroom, what am I gonna do? Oh! Someone's watching!”

Pepper follows through, “Right. And then you wake up, and in real life you actually have to pee.”

“Yes!”

“Yeah. Everybody has that,” Pepper says, raising her eyebrow. 

Tony nods, continuing to make his point, “Right. That's the point I'm trying to make. Last night, I dreamt, Steph and I adopted a kid. So real. We named him after his weird cloak. What was its name? Levi.” 

Pepper stares at him and she finally catches up, “Right. So you woke up, and you were…” 

Tony grins, “Excited.”

“Yeah.”

“Do we?”

Pepper laughs, "No, Tony. You two don't have a kid. Well, you would have Peter if Stephen married you.” 

Tony insists, catching up with Pepper, “I had a dream about it. It was _so real_.” 

Pepper stops, turning back and placing a finger on the arc reactor on his chest, “If you wanted to have a kid… You wouldn't have done that. You know we don't want you to be in danger anymore.” 

Tony looks down to where she’s pointing and says, “I'm glad you brought this up cause it's nothing, just a housing unit for nano-parts.” 

She rolls her eyes, “It's not helping your case, okay?” 

Tony tries, “It's an attachment. It's not a…”

“You don't need that.”

“I know. I had the surgery. I'm just trying to protect all of us. The future, as is, and that's it. Just in case there's a monster in the closet. Just letting you know,” Tony says, moving so he’s no longer behind Pepper but in front of her. 

Pepper stares at him for a few moments before she nods slowly, “Shirts.”

Tony grins, relieved that Pepper finally understands, “You know me so well. You finish all my sentences.” 

Pepper agrees, “You should have shirts in your closet.” 

Tony delightfully adds on, “Yeah. You know what there should be? No more surprises. I'll treat you to a nice dinner tonight. It’s about time, we haven’t eaten together in _ages_.”

Pepper nods once again, “We should have no more surprises.” 

Tony says firmly, “Ever. I should promise you.”

“Tones, I need you to come with me.”

Tony and Pepper look over, surprised to see Stephen emerging from a portal from the Sanctum. 

Tony asks, confused, “Stephen? What's happening? You weren't supposed to be over till 2. Not that I'm complaining.” 

Stephen summarizes, “Look, it's not overselling it to say that the fate of the universe is at stake.”

Bruce emerges from the portal, greeting anxiously, “Hey, Tony.” 

Tony gives him a hug, barely needing to process that Bruce is alive, after all these years, “Bruce.”

* * *

**SANCTUM SANCTORUM**

“From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom! The Big Bang sends six elemental crystals, hurdling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence,” Wong explains, showing the mystical display of the universe. 

The six stones float together and Stephen names, “Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time.” Stephen opens the Eye of Agamotto, revealing the glowing green Time Stone. 

Tony stares at it for a while, “We need to talk about that. But tell me his name again.” 

Bruce answers, walking to Tony like a nervous mess, “Thanos. He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. He wipes out half the population. He sent Loki. The attack on New York. That was _him_.” Tony processes the information — the fucking demon who’s been haunting him for years, finally here. 

He asks, “This is it. What’s our timeline?” 

Bruce frets, “No telling. He has the Power and Space Stones, that already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe. If he gets his hands, on all six Stones, Tony…"

“He can destroy life on a scale of hitherto undreamt of,” Stephen cuts in. 

Tony blinks at him before he asks, “Honey, I love you, but did you seriously just say ‘hitherto undreamt of’?” 

Bruce stares between them, confusion on the brink of overloading, “'Honey'? 'I love you’?” 

Stephen shoots back, “Well, I love you too, but are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?” 

Tony questions, sparing a glance down at the cauldron, “That's what this is?” 

The Cloak reaches out and smacks Tony’s ass, making him jump in surprise. Bruce watches in amazement, trying to catch up with everything he’s missed.

Tony smirks as he checks Stephen out before saying, “I'm going to allow that.” He turns serious again, pointing towards the Time Stone around Stephen’s neck, “If Thanos needs all six, why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?”

"Tony, that's not possible," Stephen begins.

Wong adds on, "We swore an oath to protect the Time Stone with our lives." 

Tony shrugs, "And I swore off dairy, but Ben & Jerry's named a flavor after me, so..." 

Stephen rolls his eyes, filling in, " _Stark Raving Hazelnuts_. He won't stop talking about it." 

Tony defends, "It's not _bad_." 

Stephen smirks, teasing, "It's a bit chalky, dear." 

Wong offers, " _A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge_ is our favorite." 

Bruce seems surprised by the information, "That's a thing?" 

Tony waves him off, returning to the main point, "Whatever. Point is, things change." 

Stephen insists, "Our oath to protect the Time Stone cannot change. This Stone may be the best chance we have against Thanos." 

Tony counters, "And still conversely, it may also be his best chance against us.”

Stephen says, “Only if we don't do our jobs.” 

Tony turns to him and asks, playfully rude, “What is your job exactly, besides making balloon animals?” 

Stephen returns his quip, “Protecting your reality, douche bag.”

Bruce interrupts, “Okay guys, can we quick cable this discussion right now? The fact is we have the stone. We know where it is. Vision is out there somewhere with the Mind Stone. And we have to find him now.” 

Tony sighs, turning away from Stephen to look at Bruce, “Yeah, that's the thing.” 

Bruce asks, “What do you mean?” 

Tony answers, anticipating the impending disappointment in him, “Two years ago, Vision turned off his transponder. He's been offline.”

It comes. “What? Tony, you lost another super bot?”

“I didn't lose him. He's more than that. He's evolving,” Tony defends.

Stephen remarks to Bruce dryly, “You have such little faith in your friends.” 

Bruce nods, feeling a little guilty, and he asks, “Who could find Vision, then?” 

Tony thinks for a while before he says, the name tasting bitter, “Probably Steve Rogers.”

Tony hears Stephen’s exasperation from over a mile away, “Oh, great.” 

Tony remedies, “ _Maybe_. But…” 

Bruce encourages, “Call him.” 

Tony sighs, turning back to Bruce and away from Stephen, “It's not that easy. God, we haven't caught up in a spell, have we?” 

Bruce nods slowly, looking towards Bruce, “Yeah, you called him honey. What happened with Steve?” 

Tony rubs his neck awkwardly and answers, “Oh, uh, I'm dating Stephen now and the Avengers broke up. We're toast.”

Bruce blinks, as if unable to understand, and asks, “Broke up? Like a band? Like The Beatles?” 

Tony says, “Cap and I fell out hard. We're not on speaking terms.” 

Bruce walks up to him, holding him by his shoulders, “Tony, listen to me. Thor's gone. Thanos is coming. It doesn't matter who you're talking to or not.”

They all freeze when they hear the faint sound of cars crashing and people screaming outside. 

Tony glances over at his boyfriend and asks, “Say, honey, you wouldn't happen to be moving your hair, would you?” 

Stephen frowns, “Not at the moment, no.”

Tony walks up to the door and opens it, surprised at the amount of damage outside. He starts walking towards where everyone seems to be running from and a woman trips and falls. 

He helps her up and asks Wong to aid her before he continues walking, asking, “FRIDAY, what am I looking at?” 

FRIDAY answers, her tone tense, “ _Not sure. I'm working on it_.” 

Tony turns back to Stephen and shouts above the noise, “You better not put that Time Stone in your back pocket!” 

Stephen summons up his magic as he replies, “I might wanna use it.” 

Tony says to FRIDAY, turning a corner, "FRI, call Jess and tell her to go to Wakanda. If she can, bring some friends. Tell King T'Challa I sent her."  FRIDAY obeys his wishes and Stephen, Tony, Wong and Bruce near the spaceship.

* * *

**SCHOOL BUS**

Peter lifts his head up from the bus seat and stares at the hair on his arms. They’re standing up, and he looks out the window to see a giant donut-like spaceship in the sky. He starts smacking Ned’s face lightly and Ned removes an earpiece to turn to Peter. 

Peter says in a hushed voice, “Ned, hey. I need you to cause a distraction.” 

Ned follows Peter’s gaze to the spaceship and he jumps up onto his feet in excitement, shouting, “Holy shit! We're all gonna die!” 

The other kids on the bus follow Ned to the back of it to see the spaceship. 

The bus driver, Stan Lee, complains, “There's a _spaceship_! What's the matter with you kids? You never seen a spaceship before?”

Peter throws the small device onto his wrist and it wraps itself around his hands. He shoots a web out to open the bus window across from him and jumps out through it, pulling on his mask as he uses his webs to swing his way towards the action.

* * *

"FRIDAY, evac anyone south of 43rd Street, notify first responders," Tony orders, running towards the giant spaceship, and FRIDAY responds, " _Will do._ "

The spaceship is just spreading chaos, dust and rubble flying everywhere. Stephen casts a spell that calms it down, clearing the air and making it a more workable battlefield. The spell works on a large scale and he smiles proudly, sending a wink to Tony. Tony returns an impressed smirk before he turns back to see the two figures standing in the clearing dust.

There's a tall, huge alien with a large axe of some form. Next to him is a shorter and leaner alien with a long face. Tony wants to name him the deformed love child of Squidward and Voldemort. The shorter alien says, his voice slow and liquid, "Hear me, and rejoice! You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos. Be thankful, that your meaningless lives are now contributing to —"

"I'm sorry, Earth is closed today. You better pack it up and get outta here," Tony interrupts. The alien frowns in annoyance and glances towards Stephen. 

Tony instantly feels protective over the sorcerer and the alien asks, "Stone keeper… Does this chattering animal speak for you?" 

Stephen replies, summoning his magic in three swift movements, "I can speak for myself, but he voices my thoughts. You are trespassing in this city and on this planet." 

Wong also readies his magic and Tony nods, "You need to get lost, Squidward!"

The shorter alien, Ebony Maw, says to his comrade Cull Obsidian, "They exhaust me. Bring me the Stone." 

As the burlier alien begins to walk towards them, Tony asks Bruce, "Hey, do you want a piece?" 

Bruce frowns, hands balling into fists as his skin tinges green, "No, not really. But when do I ever get what I want?" 

Stephen and Wong are still ready with their magic and Tony stands, watching the alien approach them as he says in regards to Hulk, "Been a while. Good to have you, buddy."

He realizes that Bruce isn't changing. Bruce makes a few strained noises and he replies awkwardly, "I just... I need to concentrate for a second." 

Tony asks, "Come on, come on, man. Where's your guy?" 

Bruce tries harder, his neck turning green before it quickly recedes back to his normal skin color, "I don't know. We're certainly having a thing." 

The alien is almost with them and Tony turns to Bruce, trying to inject some urgency in him, "There's no time for a thing. That's the thing right there. Let's go." Bruce tries again, still not turning into the Hulk. 

Stephen looks at Bruce with a slightly concerned look and Tony catches it, saying to Bruce, "Dude, you're embarrassing me in front of my boyfriend." 

Bruce apologizes, "I can’t… He won’t…"

Tony turns Bruce towards Wong and says, "It's okay. Stand down." To Wong, he asks, "Can I leave you with him? Thank you." 

Wong nods, shifting so Bruce can stand with him, safely behind the defense of his magic, "I have him."

Tony removes his sunglasses and taps the arc reactor, slowly walking forwards. His tracksuit turns into his newest armor. It's the first time Stephen is seeing it in its entirety. Tony's been working on blueprints since two years ago, wanting the armor to be absolutely perfect and thus taking its development slow. The nanotech crawls and connects over his clothes and over his skin in all its red and gold glory. Stephen remembers Tony calling it Bleeding Edge and he can certainly see why. 

Tony blocks Obsidian’s attack with a shield that materializes from his arm and delivers a punch to the alien. He steps back and readies his blasters, four more appearing from behind him. When Obsidian charges towards him, the six blasters fire, blasting him back. Maw uses his telekinesis to redirect Obsidian into a car before the larger alien can hit him.

The extra blasters return to the suit and Bruce watches it in amazement, "Where'd that come from?" 

Tony answers, grinning under the mask, "It's nano-tech. You like it? A little —" 

Maw raises a finger and the ground under Tony sends him flying. Maw sends an uprooted tree to the remaining three and Wong shields them from it. 

Stephen leaps into battle mode at the sight of Tony getting attacked, summoning a portal under Bruce, "Dr. Banner, if the rest of your green friend won't be joining us..." Bruce falls through the portal, landing in a park nearby.

Tony returns to the group and blasts an incoming car, sending it back to Maw who easily slices it into two with his powers. Tony turns back to Stephen and says, "You gotta get that stone outta here, honey." 

Stephen denies, "It stays with me." 

Tony nods, flying away, "Exactly, Steph. Bye!" 

He flies towards Maw who tries to deter him with rubble but Tony avoids it expertly. He almost reaches Maw when Obsidian throws his weapon at him, hitting him all the way to the park Bruce was sent to.

Tony crashes into a tree and Bruce runs over, checking in, "Tony, you okay? How we doing? Good, bad?" 

Tony answers sarcastically, not even bothering to stand, "Really good. Do you plan on helping out?" 

Bruce winces, "I'm _trying_. He won't come out.”

Cull Obsidian crashes through a building, throwing his weapon at Tony again. 

Tony spots it in time and shouts, “Hammer!” 

He flies out of the way, grabbing Bruce while he’s at it. Tony blasts at Obsidian’s shield but it simply gets deflected. Bruce runs, but he gets caught under a fallen tree and he slaps himself thrice, demanding, "Come on, Hulk. What are you doing? Come on. Come on! Come on!" He turns into the Hulk for a second, the green man shouting, "No!" When he turns back, he falls onto the ground and shouts, "What do you mean, ‘no'?"

Tony gets smacked to the ground and just before Obsidian can deliver a devastating blow, someone catches it.

“Hey, man! What's up, Dad?”

Tony’s eyes widen and he asks, “Peter, where'd you come from?” 

Peter answers, “The field trip.” 

Obsidian reaches out and pulls Peter away from his weapon, throwing him to the fountain as Peter exclaims in surprise. Tony blasts him and Peter swings his way back to the fight, asking, “What is this guy's problem, Dad?” 

Tony answers, firing at Obsidian while flying to avoid his attacks, “He's from space, came here to steal a necklace from my boyfriend.” 

Obsidian catches Peter and swings him, angering Tony to blast him. Obsidian deflects it again and throws half a car at him, which Peter catches with a web and returns to the alien, smashing him with it. Meanwhile, Maw raises up numerous bricks, shedding them into shards of rocks and hurtling them towards Stephen who uses a portal to send them back to Maw. Maw uses a car to block the projectiles but one manages to fly past, cutting Maw’s head. He exclaims in pain and irritation, hitting Wong aside. Stephen uses his magic to bind Maw, pulling him over.

Maw uses this to his advantage, pushing Stephen against a wall and holding him down with the bricks. He mocks, “Your powers are quaint. You must be popular with children.” The alien reaches out to snatch the Time Stone, hissing in pain when it only burns him.

Stephen smirks at that, “It's a simple spell but quite unbreakable.”

Maw replies darkly, “Then I'll take it off your corpse.”

Maw grabs his collar and pulls him out from under the bricks, throwing him down. He rolls off a truck and lands on the hard ground, wincing as he tries to recover. The Cloak helps him back onto his feet and he opens the Eye, ready to use a spell, when he gets bound by some stray cords. The Eye instantly closes up and Stephen struggles to breathe against the cord tightening around his neck. 

He says weakly, “You wouldn't. Removing a dead man's spell… Troublesome.” 

Maw closes his fist, the cord’s pressure against his neck increasing, “You'll only wish you were dead.”

Stephen finally falls out of consciousness and he collapses against a car, onto the ground. Maw raises the ground beneath the sorcerer and begins to head back to the spaceship but the Cloak has other plans, gripping Stephen and flying out from under the cords. The Cloak starts zooming away from Maw who gives chase.

Tony narrowly dodges a hit from Obsidian when a flash of familiar blues and reds of his boyfriend passes between them. 

Busy with the powerful alien, Tony decides to send Peter after Stephen instead, “Kid, that’s Stephen! Get on it!” It’s a hell lot better than leaving his son with this maniacal super-strengthened alien. 

Peter nods, using his webbing to start swinging after Stephen, “On it!” 

Peter is almost there when Maw stops him, throwing a stray signboard into him. 

Peter complains, circling back to catch up, “Not cool.” 

Maw bends the traffic lights to try to catch Stephen but the Cloak navigates through them smoothly before it finally gets caught between two traffic lights. Stephen starts falling to the ground, getting caught by Peter’s web inches away from colliding with the road. Before he can bring Stephen back to Tony, Stephen gets caught in a beam and begins to get beamed up into the spaceship. The Cloak flies up to follow Stephen and Peter grabs a bent traffic light, trying to stop Stephen from leaving. Maw simply uproots the traffic light, getting Peter sent up with the still-unconscious Stephen. 

Peter says anxiously, watching the city buildings grow smaller under him, “Dad? I'm being beamed up.”

“Hang on, son!” Tony shouts, dodging a hit from Obsidian. 

The alien grabs him and throws him into the ground. His suit crackles under the metal device and just before Obsidian can end him, Wong opens a portal above Tony, sending Obsidian to an icy location. Before he can jump back through, Wong closes it, slicing off his arm. Tony stares at it for a second before he flies off, Stephen and Peter running through his mind. 

He shouts as he leaves, “Wong, you are so gonna be the godfather of my future kid!”

Peter scales the spaceship, slow against the strong wind resistance. 

Tony spots him and commands, “Give me a little juice, FRIDAY.” 

The legs of the suit join together to form one big blaster, boosting Tony’s speed as he flies after the spaceship. Maw enters the Sanctuary-2 with Stephen floating behind him, still unconscious.

“Unlock 17-A,” Tony orders. 17-A unlocks back at the compound and starts blasting towards the spaceship.

Tony sees Peter struggling and he says, “Peter, you gotta let go. I'm gonna catch you.” 

Peter insists, “But you said save Mr Strange!” He pulls off his mask, gasping loudly, “I can't breathe!”

Tony explains, still trying to catch up, “You're too high up. You're running out of air.” 

Peter says airily, gasping, “Yeah. That makes sense.”

His grip on the spaceship weakens and he starts falling. 17-A catches up to them, breaking into separate parts. Each part attaches itself onto Peter and it stretches over him, like Tony’s Bleeding Edge armor. Peter breathes again, catching onto the spaceship as he stands up. 

He grins, commenting, “Dad, it smells like a new car in here!” 

Tony flies up next to him and he smiles, glad that his son is safe. He glances at the ship, zooming into space, and it hits him — he’s never coming back from this.

He looks back down at Peter and says, “I love you, Pete. FRIDAY, send him home.” 

FRIDAY agrees and a parachute shoots out from Peter’s back, sending him back down much to Peter’s protest, “Oh, come on!”

Tony finds an opening and steps into the spaceship, FRIDAY notifying him, " _Boss, incoming call from Miss Potts._ " 

Tony accepts the call, looking around the interior as Pepper's worried voice fills his ears, " _Tony? Oh, my God. Are you all right? What's going on?_ " 

Tony nods to himself, walking deeper into the ship and answering, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just think we might have to push the 8:30 res." 

Pepper pauses and asks, dread lining her tone, " _Why?_ " 

Tony inhales deeply and replies, "Just 'cause I'll probably not make it back for awhile."

" _Tell me you're not on that ship._ "

Tony sighs, hearing something and following the sound, "Yeah." 

Pepper starts rambling out of worry, " _God, no. Please tell me you're not on that ship. Are Stephen and Peter on that ship?_ " 

Tony answers, "I had FRIDAY send Peter back but Stephen's on the ship, an alien kidnapped him. Pepper, I'm sorry. They have my Stephen and I need to save him." 

Pepper orders, more out of concern than anything, " _Come back here, Tony. I swear to God… Come back here right now! Come back!_ "

" _Boss, we're losing her_ ," FRIDAY says. 

The line crackles before the reception fizzes out. He's on his own from here on out. 

Tony frowns, looking down towards where the sound is coming from, "I'm going, too…"

Meanwhile, Peter crawls into an opening in the spaceship. When the doors begin closing behind him, the gravity of the situation truly settles in him and he mumbles, "Oh, my God. I should have stayed on the bus."

* * *

**SANCTUARY-2**

Stephen awakens to the interior of a ship he doesn’t recognize, numerous floating shards and the face of a very unpleasant Ebony Maw. He feels tired and yet he knows this day is far from over.

“In all the time I have served Thanos… I have never failed him. If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan, with the Time Stone still attached to your vaguely irritating person… There would be judgment,” Maw says. The shards start moving towards Stephen and he glances about helplessly, paralyzed by Maw’s magic. When they begin to pierce his skin, he winces. Though familiar with pain of every kind, it doesn’t mean he’s immune to it.

“Give me the Stone,” Maw says dangerously, leaning in towards Stephen who shuts his eyes in agony, summoning a protective spell on the Time Stone. He wishes Tony is here but at least he’s safe on Earth.

Tony watches silently from above, trying to figure out a plan to save Stephen. He can see Maw talking to him but he can’t hear the words, which makes him worried enough as it is when he feels something tap his arm. His blasters fire up and he jerks away, aiming his blasters at the Cloak. He powers down and remarks, partially in relief that the Cloak is here with him, “Wow. You are a seriously loyal piece of outerwear.”

“Speaking of loyalty…”

Tony’s eyes widen and he turns around, face contorting into anxiousness and anger. 

Peter catches on and begins, “I know what you're gonna say to me.” 

Tony ignores him, insisting, “You shouldn’t be here.” 

Peter tries, “I was gonna go home.” 

Tony replies, ready to hurl the teenager back down to earth if he has to, “I don't wanna hear it!” 

Peter’s voice grows timid as he continues, “But it was such a long way down and I just thought about…”

“And now I gotta hear it.”

Peter shrugs, glancing away when he says, “And this suit is, ridiculously intuitive, by the way. So, if anything, its kind of your fault that I'm here.” 

Tony’s gaze snaps to Peter at that and he asks, “What did you just say?” 

Peter quickly recovers, sparing a desperate glance to the Cloak behind Tony, “I take that back. And now I'm here in space.” 

The Cloak doesn’t bother to try and help Peter in the argument and Tony walks closer to Peter, dropping the anger for concern, “Yeah, right where I didn't want you to be. This isn't Coney Island, or some field trip. This is a _one-way ticket_. Do you hear me? Don't pretend you thought this through.”

Peter nods insistently, “I _did_ think this through. You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man if there's no neighborhood.” Tony stares at him in confusion and Peter shakes his head slightly, “Okay, that didn't make sense but you know what I'm trying to say.” Tony looks on at his son and sighs, resigned. Of course Peter is his son, just as self-sacrificial as his father.

Tony turns back to where he was previously watching Stephen from and he fills Peter in, “Come on. We got a situation. See him down there? He's in trouble. What's your plan? Go.” 

Peter doesn’t even hesitate before he asks, “You ever see this really old movie Aliens?”

Stephen screams in pain as the shards dig into his body. He feels as useless as he felt before he met Tony, unable to protect himself. 

He breathes heavily and Maw smiles, “Painful, aren't they? They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them…” He trails off, turning around slowly to see Tony, fully suited up and blasters ready. Stephen grows a sinking feeling in his chest at the realization that Tony is actually on the fucking ship and Maw threatens, “I could end your friend's life in an instant.” 

Tony’s voice is prideful as he answers, “I gotta tell you that that wouldn't be a good idea. He could probably kick your ass from the grave.”

Maw walks away from Stephen, closer to Tony, and counters, “That is nothing. Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine.”

“Yeah, but my kid's seen more movies.”

Tony fires a small missile to the side of the ship, sucking Maw out with the vacuum in space. Stephen cries out as he begins to follow. The Cloak chases after him, gripping Stephen’s arm as it attaches itself to a part of the ship. When it breaks off, Peter uses his webbing to grab Stephen and they start flying out of the ship. Golden, iron spider legs shoot out from the back of the Ironspider suit and stops Peter from getting thrown out into space and Peter cheers. He manages to pull Stephen back into the ship. As Tony uses his suit to repair the hole, the vacuum cuts off and Peter and Stephen fall onto the floor.

Tony helps Stephen up while Peter stands on his own, Stephen saying, “Thank you, Tony.” 

Tony smiles, “Yeah, no problem.” 

Stephen checks if Peter is alright before he says, “We gotta turn this ship around.” 

He walks around, taking a look at the controls before he walks away from it, not understanding it at all. Tony calls, “Honey, wait.”

“I want to protect the stone.”

“Maybe it's not the best idea.”

Stephen raises an eyebrow towards him as he points out, “Tones, we're in a flying doughnut, billions of miles from Earth, with no back-up.” 

Peter pipes up, “I'm back-up!” 

Tony corrects, “Peter. You're a _stowaway_. The adults are talking.” 

He turns back to Stephen and mutters, “The ship is self-correcting its course. Thing's on autopilot.” 

Stephen asks, “Can we control it? Fly us home?”

He doesn’t receive an answer. “Tony.”

Tony replies absently, “Yeah?” 

Stephen repeats his question, growing concerned for Tony’s blank expression, “Can you get us home?” 

Tony nods, “Yeah, I heard you. I'm not so sure we should.” 

Stephen insists, “Under no circumstances can we bring the Time Stone to Thanos.”

“Yeah, about that. You never told me you had an Infinity Stone. I've been thinking this whole time that that was just some magical necklace you liked,” Tony starts, pointing towards the Eye of Agamotto hanging around Stephen’s neck. 

Stephen explains, wanting to avoid having an argument with Tony, “Wong wanted as little people to know about the Stone as possible. The less people who are aware that the Stone is in my care, the better.” 

Tony thinks over Stephen’s words and relents, “Okay, fine. You're right.” 

Stephen adds, “Plus, I didn't want to implicate you. The moment you know about an Infinity Stone, you fall into danger.” 

Tony defends himself, “I can protect myself.” 

Stephen counters, “We're talking about an Infinity Stone, Tony. Nobody can protect themselves against one of these. Not even you.”

Tony stares at Stephen, contemplating his words before he decides, “Okay, fine. It stays with you.” 

Not because he thinks it’s a good idea, but because he has complete trust in Stephen.

“Alright. But, Tony. Can you get us home?” Stephen asks to be sure.

Tony says, tense, “Steph, Thanos has been inside my head for six years since he sent an army to New York, and now he's back. I have a boyfriend now, and a son, both people I don't want to lose to him. And I don't know what to do. So I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight him on our turf or his. But you saw. What they did, what they can do. At least, let's hope he's not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him, Steph. Do you concur?”

Stephen is silent for a few moments, considering Tony’s point of view before he nods, “All right, Tony. We go to him.” 

Tony gives him a quick kiss on the lips as thank you before he says to Stephen, out of Peter’s earshot, “And Steph, if it comes to saving me, Peter, or the Time Stone... choose the stone. Because the universe depends on it.”  Stephen begins to protest before Tony interrupts him, “Nice. Good.” He turns to Peter and knights him with his hand, saying, “All right, Peter… You're an Avenger now.”

Tony hasn’t seen his son look so proud in his life.

The scene outside the window begins to change and Peter asks, “What's going on?” 

Stephen and Tony follow Peter’s gaze and Stephen guesses, “I think we're here.”

"I don't think this rig has a self-park function," Tony says to himself, glancing over at the 'steering wheels'. He'd seen Maw use it earlier to drive the ship and he's about to ask Stephen to take the other steerer since they're spaced too far apart for one human to use, but then he remembers Stephen's hands. 

He turns to Peter instead, ordering, "Get your hand inside this. Then, we got one big dodge, so we gotta move at the same time.”

Stephen summons a shield over the three of them and Tony yells at Peter to turn. Peter obeys and they manage to land not too shabbily. Stephen’s shield does help a lot with them coming out unharmed. 

When the dust settles, Stephen rushes over to Tony who’d fallen over and helps him up, asking, “You all right?” Tony nods in response.

Peter remarks, “That was close.”

Tony pulls Stephen in for a kiss and he pulls away, “God, I love you.” 

Stephen doesn’t get a chance to reply before Peter cuts in with, “Let me just say, if aliens wind up implanting eggs in my chest or something, and I eat one of you, I'm sorry.” 

Tony rolls his eyes, half from annoyance that Peter interrupted their kiss and half from pure adoration for his nerdy son, “I don't want another single, pop-culture reference outta you for the rest of the trip. Understand?”

Peter corrects, “I'm trying to say that, something is coming.”

"Thanos!"

A grey shirtless man with red tattoos all over jumps down onto Tony. 

A pale woman with antennas dressed in green nears Peter cautiously and he falls in shock, shouting, "Oh, my God! Please don't put your eggs in me!" 

The Cloak flies over to the grey man, bounding itself firmly around his hands so he can't hurt Tony and the man yells, trying to tear the Cloak off, "Die, Blanket of Death!" 

A blonde man with a red jacket and a mask on grabs Peter, pressing his gun to his temple as he says loudly, catching everyone's attention, "Everybody stay where you are, chill the F out… I'm gonna ask you this one time. Where is Gamora?"

The three Avengers frown at the unfamiliar name and Tony replies, "Yeah, I'll do you one better. _Who_ is Gamora?" 

The grey man shouts from under Tony's foot, "I'll do you one better! _Why_ is Gamora?" 

Tony blinks at him in confusion, wondering why the hell he even bothers to speak when nothing intelligent comes out of his mouth.

The red jacketed man's mask withdraws to reveal a human and he threatens, pressing the gun harder against Peter, "Let him go, or I swear to you, I'm gonna french fry this little freak." 

Tony tenses up at the prospect of this stranger killing his son and he goes into defensive mode, his arm turning into a canon as he aims it at the grey man, countering, "Let's do it. You shoot my kid and I'll blast him. Let's go!" 

The grey man says to the human, "Do it, Quill. I can take it." 

The pale woman says anxiously, " _No_ , he can't take it." 

Stephen agrees, "She's right. You can't."

'Quill', as the grey man has named him, looks impatient and says, "Oh yeah? You don't wanna tell me where she is? That's fine. I'll kill all three of you and I'll beat it out of Thanos myself! Starting with you." 

He directs the last word to Peter and Stephen raises an eyebrow, "Wait what, _Thanos_? All right... Let me ask you this one time... What master do you serve?" 

Quill looks at Stephen like he's a weirdo and he asks sarcastically, "What _master_ do I serve? What am I supposed to say, _Jesus_?"

"You're from Earth," Tony realizes.

Quill corrects, "Not from Earth. I'm from Missouri." 

Tony stares at him like he's stupid and he replies, "Yeah, that's on Earth, dipshit. What are you hassling _us_ for?” 

Peter asks timidly, “So you're not with Thanos?”

"With Thanos? No! I'm here to kill Thanos. He took Gamora. Wait, who are you?" Quill asks.

Peter answers from Quill's grip, "We're the Avengers, man." 

The woman speaks up excitedly, "You're the ones Thor told us about!" 

Tony raises his eyebrows in surprise, "You know Thor?" 

Quill rolls his eyes, "Yeah. Tall guy, not that good-looking.”

“Where is he now?”

* * *

Stephen walks into the Milano to see Quill seated by the player, listening to a track solemnly. 

He asks, “What are you doing? The others are outside.” 

Quill looks up, startled by the sudden appearance of the wizard, before his head drops to stare at his shoes, “Hey, Doc. Uh, nothing.” 

He points toward the cassette tape next to Quill and asks, “What's that?” 

Quill takes the cassette and answers, “This? My mom made it for me before she died.”

“I'm sorry.”

Quill shrugs, “It’s fine. I avenged her.” 

Stephen raises an eyebrow in vague interest, “Avenged her? She was murdered?” 

Quill nods, kicking absently at a stray screwdriver, “By my dad. He put a tumor in her head and I killed him. Nobody fucks with my mother.”

“She was everything to you,” Stephen observes.

“She _is_ ,” Quill corrects.

Stephen listens to the track for a few more seconds before noting, " _Fooled Around and Fell in Love_ , Elvin Bishop." 

Quill looks at him in surprise, "You know this song?" 

Stephen manages a smile, asking, "How  couldn't I? It's good." 

Quill grins, liking the company of another music connoisseur, and tells him, "This is the first song I ever showed her." 

Stephen specifies, "Gamora?" 

Quill nods and Stephen compliments, "It's a great first song to show your girlfriend." 

Quill agrees, "Yeah, it is. Okay, listen. I wanna make a mixtape for you."

Stephen is slightly taken aback by the sudden offer and he asks, "Now? I appreciate the thought, but now isn't a good time for that." 

Quill speaks quietly, something Stephen is foreign with the idea of even though he's only known Quill for a few hours. He doesn't seem like the type to talk quietly.

"Please. I need this. I need to keep busy until Thanos arrives," Quill says. 

Stephen sighs, fighting off the pity he feels for Quill as he relents, “Fine. But not for me, I don’t think I would have the time to listen.” 

Quill nods understandingly, “Okay, then who?”

“Tony.”

Quill nods again before he asks, “Hey, yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. Are you guys together? Which is totally cool, by the way. I —“ 

Stephen cuts him off, “Yeah, we’re dating. Have been for two years.” 

Quill breaks into a genuine smile, the first time Stephen’s seen him do so since their violent first meeting, as he says, “Okay, cool. I’m bi, so it’s really nice to see other humans like me around.” 

Stephen gives him a smile in return, knowing how Quill feels, “I can see how that can be.”

Quill turns to get an unlabelled cassette tape and says, “Okay, I’ll make you guys a mixtape. Thank you for this, Doc. I need it. I hope she’s okay.” 

Stephen agrees, “Me too, Quill.”

* * *

** TITAN **

“What the hell happened to this planet? It's 8 degrees off its axis. Gravitational pull is all over the place,” Quill complains, checking the planet out in an attempt to identify it. 

Stephen is meditating somewhere near the Milano and Tony leaves him be.  Tony says to the group, “Yeah, we got one advantage. He's coming to us. We'll use it. Alright, I have a plan. It's pretty simple. We draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. We definitely don't want to dance with this guy, we just want the gauntlet.” 

Drax yawns and Tony twitches in irritation, “Are you yawning? In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down? Did you hear what I said?”

“I stopped listening after you said that we need a plan,” Drax answers honestly. 

Tony says exasperatingly, “Okay, Mr. Clean's on his own page.” 

Quill explains, “See, not winging it isn't really what they do.” 

Peter raises an eyebrow, asking, “What exactly is it that they do?”

Mantis speaks up, face furrowed in attempted threat, “Kick names, take ass.”

Tony takes in a deep breath before he exhales, finding interest in the ground. _Are these really the people who he’s gonna fight Thanos with?_

He gives up, asking, “All right, just get over here, please? Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?” 

Quill informs, “Star-Lord is fine.” 

Tony nods half-heartedly and tries to convince Quill that a plan is necessary, “We've gotta coalesce. Because if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude…"

“Dude, don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means,” Quill interrupts. “All right, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan, except it sucks. So let me do the plan, and that way, it might be really good.” 

Drax says, “Tell him about the dance-off to save the Universe.” 

Quill stumbles, “What dance-off? It’s not a… It’s not a…” 

Quill tries to explain it before Peter asks, “Like in Footloose? The movie?” 

Quill grins in excitement and asks, “Exactly like Footloose! Is it still the greatest movie in history?” 

Peter blinks blankly at him and answers, “It never was.” 

Tony rolls his eyes, saying to Peter, “We're getting no help with Flash Gordon.” 

Quill raises his eyebrows incredulously, “Flash Gordon? By the way? That's a compliment. Don't forget. I'm half-human. So that 50% of me that's stupid? That's 100% you.”

“Your math is blowing my mind.”

Mantis turns to Tony worriedly and asks, pointing towards Stephen, “Excuse me? But does your friend often do that?” 

The group looks at Stephen and Tony calls out, “Steph! You alright?” 

Stephen is levitating and his head is turning in different directions at high speed, green circles of magic around his wrists. He starts to groan in pain before he exclaims, dropping from his position in midair. 

Tony rushes over and takes his boyfriend’s hands in his, “You're back, honey. You're all right.”

Stephen nods, still breathing heavily, “Hi.” 

Peter asks, “Hey, what was that?” 

Stephen answers, trying to compose himself, “I went forward in time, to view alternate futures… To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict.” 

Quill questions, “How many did you see?”

“Fourteen million, six hundred and five.”

The group pauses, taking in the horrifically large number of possibilities, before Tony asks the million dollar question.

“How many did we win?”

Stephen hesitates.

"One."

* * *

Thanos steps through the portal, glancing around the seemingly deserted planet he once called his home.

“Oh, yeah. You're much more of a Thanos.”

Thanos looks toward the voice, spotting Stephen sitting on steps among the ruins. 

Thanos processes the fact that the sorcerer is present and Maw isn’t and he speaks, “I take it that Maw is dead? This day extracts a heavy toll. Still, he accomplished his mission.” Thanos’ voice and aura brings Stephen to memories of Dormammu and his thousand deaths. 

He focusses on Thanos instead, saying, “You may regret that. He brought you face-to-face with a Master of the Mystic Arts.”

Quill peers at Thanos from his spot behind some rubble and Peter watches from above Stephen as Thanos asks, “Where do you think he brought you?” 

Stephen’s eyes take in the surroundings and he replies, “Let me guess. Your home?”

Thanos stops walking and confirms Stephen’s guess, closing his fist. The red Reality Stone shines brightly and Stephen looks on in wonder as the environment changes from one of destruction to one of glory.

Thanos continues, “And it was beautiful. Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, not enough to go around. And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution.”

“Genocide?” Stephen says. 

Though his tone is flat, the accusation is clear. 

Thanos adds on, “At random. Dispassionate, fair. The rich and poor alike. And they called me a madman. And what I predicted, came to pass.” 

The beautiful landscape returns to what the heroes had been greeted with and Stephen can’t believe his own ears. How can this monster believe he is right? 

He says sarcastically, “Congratulations. You're a prophet.” 

Thanos corrects, much to Stephen’s irritation, “I'm a survivor.”

“Who wants to murder _trillions_.”

“With all six Stones, I could simply snap my fingers,” Thanos says, snapping his fingers to demonstrate. “They would all cease to exist. I call that… mercy.”

Stephen stands, beginning to walk towards Thanos, “And then what?” 

A familiar feeling of anxiety claws at his insides. Walking towards a being as powerful as Thanos reminds Stephen of the many times he’s walked back to Dormammu to get torn apart in a thousand different ways. It makes him feel… 

Afraid.

“I finally rest. And watch the sun rise on a grateful universe. The hardest choices require the strongest wills,” Thanos answers. 

Stephen’s fingers hit his left palm before his hands cross over one another, pulling apart into fists as orange magic covers his hands, “I think you'll find our will equal to yours.”

Orange magic, orange skies. The orange tinge it gives to Tony’s red and gold suit. So warm.

“‘Our’?” Thanos questions. He looks up, not quick enough to avoid the giant machine Tony pushes down onto him. He gets caught underneath it, the dust around them being blown everywhere by the impact of the crash. 

Tony says smugly, “Piece of cake, Quill.”

“Yeah, if your goal was to piss him off!” Quill replies, pressing a button on the side of his head. 

The mask forms onto his face and his aero-rig throws him into flight. Tony flies over to Thanos who shouts in anger, the Power Stone glowing before the Reality Stone replaces it. He waves his hand at the machine Tony pushed down on him earlier, turning it into a swarm of bats that rams into Tony, sending him crashing through the rubble. Peter webs Thanos’ eyes and Drax leaps at him with his daggers. Stephen appears from a portal and conjures some magic, slashing Thanos with it. Thanos knocks Drax off him and Stephen stops his fist from meeting him. The Titan frowns, cutting off the magic and kicking Stephen. He makes up a shield at the last second and the Cloak prevents him from flying into rubble, stopping him halfway. Quill shoots Thanos from behind and Stephen makes up steps for Quill to use to get higher. He manages to get to Thanos, attaching a bomb onto his back. Thanos growls in annoyance.

Quill jumps off the steps, turning off his mask and flipping the finger at Thanos as he shouts, “Boom!” before falling back into a portal Stephen opened behind him.

The explosion makes Thanos fall to the ground but it barely affects him. 

Stephen whispers to the Cloak, “Don’t let him close his fist.” 

The Cloak obeys, leaving Stephen’s shoulders as it zooms over to the Titan, binding itself around the Gauntlet. Thanos stands and immediately tries to rip the Cloak off. Stephen feels a tug of protectiveness over the way Thanos is pulling so savagely at his Cloak and he summons a portal. Peter jumps through, attacking Thanos, shouting every time he jumped through a new portal.

“Magic! More magic! Magic with a kick! Magic with a —“

Thanos grabs Peter’s throat and pushes him into the ground, insulting, “Insect.” 

Stephen is about to attack Thanos, Peter being practically like a son to him and his ‘fatherly’ instincts getting to him, but Thanos throws Peter into Stephen, knocking them both to the ground. Thanos tears the Cloak into two and half of it flies away, the other still around the Gauntlet.

Tony returns, blasting Thanos and engulfing him in explosions. Thanos absorbs it with his Gauntlet and fires it back at Tony who flies away to avoid it. Peter swings back, webbing Thanos’ hand. Thanos shreds the webbing and uses it to toss Peter aside just before a ship crashes into him. He pushes himself off the ground, the rubble on him falling off, before someone attacks him by punching him. Nebula lands in front of him, summoning a blue, light sword. 

“Well, well,” Thanos says, disappointment leaking into his tone. 

Nebula says bitterly, “You should have killed me.” 

Thanos shoots back, “Would have been a waste of parts!” 

Nebula yells, attacking Thanos with her sword and Thanos blocks her hits with the Gauntlet. 

She shouts, “Where's Gamora?” 

Thanos doesn’t answer, smacking her aside. Stephen uses his magic to bind the Gauntlet, trying to pull it off. Thanos realizes he can’t pull it out from under the binds and Drax jumps to kick him down onto his knee. Quill shoots a device that pulls on the Gauntlet as well. Peter webs Thanos body to the ground so that Stephen can have an easier time pulling the Gauntlet off. Peter summons the spider legs out to hold him in place as he struggles to hold the webbing against Thanos’ strength. Stephen opens a portal above Thanos and Mantis falls out from it, landing on Thanos’ shoulders as she places her hands on the sides of his head.

“ _Sleep_ ,” Mantis commands. 

Thanos screams against being bounded by the six fighters before Mantis manages to immobilize him. 

Tony asks, “Is he under? Don't let up.” 

Mantis answers, face contorted in pain and effort, “Be quick. He is very strong.” 

Tony starts pulling on the Gauntlet manually and calls out, “Peter, help. Get over here. She can't hold him much longer. Let's go.” 

Peter releases the webbing and runs over to help Tony pull on the Gauntlet.

Quill flies back to the group and lands in front of Thanos, hooking his guns back on his belt and retracting his mask as he taunted, “I thought you'd be harder to catch. For the record, this was my plan. Not so strong now, huh? Where's Gamora?” 

Thanos mutters, “My Gamora…” 

Quill glares at him, asking again, “Oh, bull _shit_. Where is she?” 

Mantis frowns, “He is in anguish.” 

Quill smirks, looking back at Thanos like he’s pathetic, “Good.” 

Mantis begins to cry as she clarified, “He… He _mourns_.” 

Drax shouts, “What does this _monster_ have to _mourn_?”

“Gamora…” Nebula realizes. 

Quill turns back to face her as he asks a faint, “What?” 

He can’t even think of any other coherent thought as Nebula answers, “He took her to Vormir. He came back with the Soul Stone. She didn’t.”

Tony stares at Quill as he pulls on the Gauntlet. He’s unmoving. Still and silent. He knows that look.

“Okay, Quill? You gotta cool it right now, understand? Don’t, don’t. _Don't_ engage. _We almost got this off_!” Tony shouts desperately, retracting his mask to try to have some sense of trust between them. Both men, masks off. Literally and hypothetically.

Quill ignores Tony and yells at Thanos, “Tell me she's lying.” Nebula looks away in guilt for not catching up fast enough and Thanos doesn’t answer, making Quill continue, “Asshole! Tell me you didn't do it.” 

Thanos mumbles, words slurred, “I had to…”

“No you didn't. No, you didn’t,” Quill repeats, a million thoughts spinning through his mind and denial is the only common factor in them all. 

He smacks Thanos multiple times, overcome with emotion and grief, “No! No, you didn’t!” 

Mantis struggles to stay on Thanos’ shoulders and Tony lets Peter handle the Gauntlet himself, running over to hold Quill back, “Just stop! Stop!”

The Gauntlet begins to slide off Thanos’ hand and Peter shouts, “It's coming, I got it, I got it!” 

Thanos’ eyes suddenly clear and he hits Peter away from him, throwing Mantis off. Peter chases after Mantis, wrapping his arms around her midair and using the spider legs to help him land. Thanos hurls Drax into Nebula and Stephen tries to attack Thanos, only to get thrown aside. Tony immediately comes to Stephen’s defense, blasting Thanos. Quill, Drax and Nebula charge towards him and he uses the Power Stone against them, making them collapse. Tony summons a large weapon from his arm and hits Thanos with it, proving his efforts futile when Thanos hits him away easily.

_That fucking purple piece of shit is throwing a damn moon at me_ , Tony realizes a little too late as it hits him. 

“I got you, I got you! Sorry I can't remember any of your names,” Peter calls, catching Quill, Mantis and Drax with his webs.

Stephen lands in front of Thanos, the Cloak back with him. Stephen crosses his arms, orange magic sparking as he releases an attack that scales the ground like a hazardous serpent. Thanos jumps up, avoiding it, and blasts Stephen with the Power Stone. Stephen disintegrates it by using the Mirror Dimension, pushing the wall to Thanos. The Space Stone glows as the Gauntlet meets the Mirror Dimension, turning it into fragments that Thanos turns into volatile energy. He hurls it back at Stephen who summons a ball of bright orange magic, forming a wide circle. When it meets the Infinity Stone’s power…

Blue butterflies.

Tony has a sinking feeling when blue meets orange. It feels warm yet cold all the same.

Stephen quickly starts another spell while Thanos is confused by the butterflies. Multiple arms appear on him as he crosses his arms over one another again and when he splits them, numerous duplicates of him appear, surrounding Thanos. They all summon magic and bind him. Thanos struggles against the magic of a hundred Sorcerer Supremes before he uses the Infinity Stone to locate the real Stephen. The Astral duplicates all return to Stephen’s body and Thanos uses the Gauntlet to pull Stephen towards him, holding him by his neck.

“You're full of tricks, wizard.” — Thanos pulls the necklace off Stephen’s neck, much to his protest — “But you never once used your greatest weapon.” — he crushes the Eye of Agamotto — “A fake.”

He throws Stephen away and Tony immediately sends a device to attach itself to Thanos’ hand. 

He lands in front of Thanos and glares from under his mask, “You hit Stephen again and throw another moon at me, I'm gonna lose it.”

“Stark,” Thanos greets.

Tony asks, surprised, “You know me?” 

Thanos answers, “I do. You're not the only one cursed with knowledge.”

“My only curse is you.”

Tony dispatches tiny missiles that blow up when they make contact with Thanos’ body. Tony flies towards him, turning his legs into a cannon to ram into Thanos. He lands from flying backwards from the impact, planting his feet into the ground as his hands turn into large plates that shove Thanos into rubble. Thanos pulls Tony’s mask off and another forms in its place. Tony tries to block it but Thanos manages to punch him, sending him into the dirt. The Titan pulls Tony’s device off the Gauntlet and shoots at him. Tony blocks it with a shield before he flies out from behind it, using his foot to plant Thanos’ arm onto the ground as he whacks him. Thanos pauses, his hand traveling up to his cheek to touch it.

“All that for a drop of blood,” he says. There’s a hint of a mocking tone there. He punches Tony and he collapses. Thanos begins to hit him repeatedly as Tony defends himself with futile efforts. He manages to stand, the suit healing itself as he blasts Thanos, who deflects it with the Gauntlet. Tony’s getting hit and then —

A sharp pain fills Tony’s abdomen. This must be how Stephen felt.

Tony stumbles backwards, the presence of a blade in his body becoming increasingly prominent. He feels the Gauntlet rest on his head gently and he looks up into Thanos eyes, listening to the Titan say, “You have my respect, Stark. When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive. I hope they remember you.”

Thanos is about to fire at Tony with the strength of five Infinity Stones when the sound of Stephen’s voice brings Tony’s heart to a halt.

“Stop!” 

Thanos and Tony both turn to Stephen who continues, “Spare his life, and I will give you the Stone.” 

Stephen’s normally vibrant blue eyes are exhausted and dull, yet the orange of the burning skies shines twice as brightly.  _This must be how warm and cold feels._

Tony’s eyes begin to widen as Thanos asks, interest piqued, “Your world in the balance and you bargain for one man?” 

Stephen nods once, “Yes.” 

Tony starts, “Steph —“

“Why?” Thanos questions. 

Stephen dodges an answer, “Just spare his life.” 

Thanos narrows his eyes at the Sorcerer Supreme, attempting to read him, and he finally says, “You love him.”

“I do.”

_Hot and cold._

Tony begins to plead, “Honey. Wait.” 

Both Titan and sorcerer ignore him as Thanos asks further, “And you treasure Stark more than the trillions of lives you spoke so greatly of?” 

Tony calls desperately, “ _Stephen_!” 

Thanos says firmly, “No tricks.” 

Stephen shakes his head gently, indicating that yes, there were no more tricks. The magician has run out.

“Don’t!” Tony shouts. 

Stephen conjures up the Time Stone between his thumb and index finger and it floats over to Thanos’ hand. The Stone takes its place in the Gauntlet and its power ripples through. Tony shuts his eyes to try to come up with a last minute plan, questions running through his head while Stephen leans back into the rubble, shutting his eyes for a completely different reason.

“One to go,” Thanos announces victoriously before he disappears through a portal, Quill firing at him uselessly as he flies towards them.

Fleeting.

“Where is he?” Quill demands, landing. Neither Tony nor Stephen answer, too absorbed in their own thoughts. “Did we just lose?”

Tony turns to Stephen and asks, voice tired, “Why would you do that?”

Stephen’s gaze towards him is different, Tony can see it. It’s been different since he saw all the alternate futures, but this one gaze is different even from that. All Tony can get from it is that Stephen loves him very much. 

The only answer Tony gets is, “We're in the endgame now.”

* * *

Tony is tired.

He’s been having a horrible feeling since he saw Stephen turn that Infinity Stone blast into the blue butterflies he’d tried to forget about two years ago. Stephen not responding to anyone or anything isn’t helping either. He refuses to answer when Quill asks him if he’s alright. Mantis touches him, just a brush of his hand when she passes by. Tony sees her stare at him worriedly, glancing towards Tony before Quill helps her stand. Stephen helps Tony get up and the seven of them regroup. Everyone is quiet.

“Something's happening…” Mantis says quietly and Quill’s eyes widen as he watches her fade into ash in his arms. 

Everyone stares at where Mantis was formerly at and Quill looks toward Drax who asks, “Quill?” 

Drax asks Quill for answers he doesn’t have, and Quill watches his family turn to ash in front of him.

“Stay, Quill,” Tony says, his heart beating loudly in his chest as the last of Drax dissipates into the dusty air. 

Quill turns to Tony and Stephen and he says, “Oh, man…” 

He turns to ash.

“Tony.”

Peter and Tony turn towards Stephen who was lying on the ground once again. Tony bends down, cradling Stephen’s face in his hands as he rambles anxiously, “Stephen? Baby? No, no, no. Hey. Stay with me, honey. Don't go, okay?” 

He presses quick, desperate kisses on his lips in some stupid hope that this is all a nightmare, a dumb fairytale, like he's gonna wake up and it'll just be a regular Saturday morning with him and Stephen in bed. _It doesn't work_. 

Stephen replies, placing a shaky hand over Tony’s, “There was no other way where I don't win.” 

Tony pauses, repeating, “You don't win?” 

Stephen clarifies, “This is the only outcome where we win that you live. The universe relies on you now. You will bring this world back to glory.”

It hits Tony like a train. This is the horrible feeling he’s been having all along. Stephen Strange is going to die.

The love of his life is going to die.

_Congratulations. You’re a fucking prophet._

“Steph. Come on. Please,” Tony pleads.

Stephen says gently, like he’s at peace with his decision, “I promise you, Tony. The sun will shine on us again. I love you.” 

Tony is crying now and Stephen feels the warm tears roll over his scarred hands, Tony muttering, “I love you too.”

There are no blue eyes looking back at him or trembling fingers ghosting his, only ash that rests between his fingers and in his palm.

“Dad?” 

Tony lets out a shaky breath. He doesn’t even need to see it to know what’s happening. He turns around and his words trip over one another as he catches Peter in his arms, “Peter? Oh my God, please, no. Not you too.” 

Peter’s face contorts in discomfort as he whines, “I don't feel so good.” 

Tony tries to convince Peter, but he’s sure he’s trying to convince himself, “You're all right.”

“I don't, I don't know what's happening…” Peter collapses in Tony’s arms and Tony chokes on a sob when he feels Peter desperately clawing on his back, as if if he held on to his father tightly enough, he could never leave. “I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go. Dad, please… Please. I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go.”

Peter’s legs weaken and he falls to the ground, “I’m sorry.”

Ash.

A scream of agony pierces through the silent planet.

* * *

Tony recalls Stephen telling him once that blue is the coldest color and orange is the warmest, because blue reminded Stephen of everything he despised and orange magic gave him renewed purpose. He’d agreed with Stephen then, but looking around now at the orange skies? With the ashes of his friends, his kid and his boyfriend in the air, in his body in his lungs? Tony found that orange was anything but warm.

With all the light blue butterflies, the blues of his boyfriend’s eyes, the partially blue uniforms Peter and Stephen wore, Tony has only one conclusion.

Blue is the warmest color.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this. It may or may not have a sequel, depending on how I decide to go about with this. There is still an epilogue and two important extras: Strange Mix Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. 
> 
> (And I wanted to address something: I know the Milano isn't where the fight with Thanos was, I just put it there for plot purposes.)


	6. epilogue: i will see you in the stars.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Memories are a sweet thing. They follow you wherever you go."
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated!

The dust has long settled and Tony is tired. What little remains of the Guardians and Stephen and Peter, Tony wants to save it, so he starts moving towards the Milano. Maybe Quill has something onboard to store the ashes.

When he boards, he has to rip his eyes away from everything that reminds him of his newfound friends — the lived-in seats at the cockpit, the soft music that one of them forgot to turn off before alighting the Milano to fight. The track playing is _Rubberband Man_ by _The Spinners_ , as far as Tony can make of the rusty sound. Maybe that song was playing when they found Thor. Maybe it was playing when they lost Gamora, or when they ambushed his family, or when they were fighting Thanos. Who knows? Nobody will ever tell Tony.

He manages to find a couple of makeshift containers and he pauses, wondering if any of the Guardians are still alive to receive these. He's sure whoever is alive will want their friends' remains. He grabs three more for Quill, Mantis and Drax and knocks something over. Setting the containers down on a table, he bends down to pick up what dropped.

It's a cassette tape, labelled 'Strange Mix Vol. 1' with a post-it note on it that reads:

_Hey Stark:_

_I offered to make your boyfriend a mixtape but he asked me to make it for you instead so this is it. _

_I know you'll love it because Strange loves you._

_           He's a keeper. _

_           - Star-Lord _

_P.S. The last track is important._

"When did he have time to make this?" Tony asks. 

Nobody is going to answer, he reminds himself. Nebula has long left the planet. He stares absently at the mixtape, the last thing he has in regards to Stephen, and he takes Quill's player, sticking the tape in and playing it while he brings the containers outside. It takes him a while since he keeps pausing due to him being so damn tired with everything. Peter and Stephen's ashes take the longest to get into the containers.

When he finishes, he labels the small containers with a marker he found in a toolbox on the Milano. He assumes it belongs to a Guardian that's somewhere else, maybe on Earth. Tony instinctively reaches to the side of his armor to dust himself off before he freezes.

It almost doesn't register that all he has of Stephen, Peter, Quill, Mantis and Drax are on his hands.

He leaves his hands alone and lies down against a pile of rubble, 'Stephen' next to him as he clicks play on the first track. " _Can anybody find me somebody to love?_ "

_Somebody to Love, Queen_ , he can just hear Stephen practically boasting about his musical knowledge. _A Day At the Races, 1976. Bet you didn't know that._

"So clever," Tony mumbles in reply. Again, to nobody, he remembers. Stephen is here and far away all the same. "I'm more of an AC/DC guy myself."

" _He's got nobody left to believe in._ "

Tony chokes on another butterfly and watches in agony as it flies away. Thoughts used to come to Tony like butterflies and when he didn't know what to make of them, he chased them away. He never thought that one day, he would have his lover's ashes under his fingernails as he tries to get back every butterfly he's induced.

Someday yet, he'll begin his life again.

That day just isn't today.

* * *

Thor lands on Titan and glances around, unsure of where to start looking.

He was there to look for the remaining ones. Steve had suggested that Thor look for Tony and anyone else who wasn't on Earth. He'd asked Rocket if he'd like to come look for the other Guardians with him, but he was too busy grieving Groot to answer.

Thor arrives alone.

He frowns, bringing the Stormbreaker to casually hang over his shoulder as he walks around the deserted planet. He sees and hears nothing. Thor finally spots the Milano and he walks over, eager to greet his friends. He imagines the Guardians, playing some music as they comfort one another on their loss. He imagines Tony with them, red and gold armor scratched but still glorious all the same. He sees five containers and one man with little to no armor on him. Tony's armor seems to have been destroyed past salvation, tiny parts hanging onto his clothes. He has earbuds in, quietly weeping to the music he's listening to. Thor recalls seeing the tape player on the Milano.

Suddenly, Thor sees and hears everything.

The ashes that taint Tony's hands, the labelled containers sitting around him. Tony's hand clenching a note painfully as his arm rests on the one labelled 'Stephen'. Blue butterflies escaping his lips with every sob that does. One labelled ‘Peter’ at his feet and three more stacked nearby. Tony Stark has lost everything.

"Stark?" Thor calls quietly. Tony's eyes don't open, sobbing into his free arm.

" _Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in love with you._ " Thor hears the quiet singing from the tape player. He sets the Stormbreaker down and sits in front of Tony, watching his friend grieve his loss.

He reaches out tentatively and his fingers graze Tony's slightly, in silent affirmation that Thor will give him as much time as he needs. "Take your time, Stark. But we need to go home."

"What home?" Tony asks, tone injured. "Stephen's gone. So's Peter. Who knows who's left on Earth? What do I have to go home to?"

"Banner, Rogers, Romanoff, Rhodes, some of the people of Wakanda and the sweet rabbit of the Guardians, they are who I know are still alive. There is a woman with dark hair that is present as well. I believe her name is Jessica, with her companions Matthew and Danny," Thor offers. 

Tony sits quietly and rubs his tears away harshly, "What's the point? I don't have my son, my boyfrie—" 

He cuts himself off as he coughs violently, more butterflies leaving his lips. Thor watches the blue creatures disperse with mystification.

"My friend, are you suffering from Hanahaki?" Thor asks, approaching the subject as if it's sensitive. 

Tony raises an eyebrow, "You know about it?" 

Thor nods, shifting so that he is now sitting next to Tony instead of in front, "Yes. It's a very old disease. More common in people who practice magic. Loki suffered from it once, he coughed up green petals. Then he killed his unrequited love and it stopped. But anyway, Hanahaki is usually flowers, I wonder why yours are butterflies." 

Tony responds, wiping away the blood on his lips from his coughing, "Stephen had it, his were butterflies." 

Thor stares at him and Stephen's container before he asks, "Did you love Strange?"

"Yes."

"And he loved you back?"

"Entirely."

"Then why are you suffering from Hanahaki now?" Thor asks. 

Tony laughs bitterly, "How can someone love you back when they're dead? It's unrequited now, nothing I can do about that." 

Thor sits quietly for a while before he says, "I believe that he loves you from wherever he is. What I have learned about love is that love is not a constantly stable factor. It is a decision you will have to make again and again. I have seen everything, Stark. The dying star, the Stormbreaker, they have shown me everything. You are a decision that Strange has made every time. You know... there are a few outcomes where we do win. In all of them, Thanos wins first. In all but one, you die. Everyone else remains the same, whoever is dead now, they die in those other outcomes. But you are the one that was different. In that one, Strange dies, and yet he has chosen you. His life on the line and he ends it for one man. He loves you, Stark. I think it is doing him a disservice to think he does not."

There is a prolonged silence between them before Thor realizes it. "You know he loves you, but you refuse to believe it because you think the butterflies are all you have left of him." A nod from his friend confirms it.

"Stark, I am not a sentimental man so I cannot offer you the best of advice. However, I know that memories are a sweet thing. They follow you wherever you go. I know you are a man of material need, no memory in your mind will ever compare to having him truly be here. But you must remember, our friends may one day return. I believe they are trapped in the Infinity Stones and will come back to us. If you keep believing he does not love you back, this disease will eventually kill you. If you are gone and he returns, you both will be two sides of a coin that is no longer currency."

Tony ponders over his words before he finally nods, sniffling slightly as he stows away the player, "Yeah, you're right. I'll keep going. For him." 

Thor gives him an encouraging smile and stands, offering his hand to help Tony up. He glances around at the containers and tells Tony, "I will handle these. Maybe you should go to the ship, get anything that the sweet rabbit would like to keep. He is alone on Midgard." 

Tony nods and walks over, still holding the player in his hands. He's going through the toolbox he found earlier when the track changes from _Can't Help Falling In Love_ to Quill's voice, making Tony pause as he listens to Quill say, " _Come on, man. If I make the whole mixtape, it's not gonna be sincere for you. Just record something for him. Anything._ "

Stephen laughs, " _Okay._ "

Tony gulps when he hears the voice and forces himself to continue going through the toolbox, trying not to think about the fact that Thor is holding a box of Stephen's ashes right outside the Milano. He decides to just stick the cassette into the player onboard the ship, letting Stephen's voice fill the cockpit.

" _Hey, Tony._ " Tony takes in a deep breath and puts away the toolbox, not finding anything of sentimental value. " _Quill insisted I record something for you, so here I am._ " Tony stands to look for a stack of cassette tapes that he remembers seeing. " _I know things are hard now. I might not even be here._ "

"Stark? Do you need help with anything?" Thor asks, boarding the Milano. 

Once he hears Stephen's voice playing, he bows his head in respect. Tony looks over to let him know he can come in and Thor does, going through the things on the ship with Tony.

Quill's voice interrupts Stephen's as he says, " _Doc, come on. It's been a long day. I'm sure that's the last thing he wants to hear. I know if Gamora recorded something for me and she said that, I wouldn't like it. Talk some sappy shit or something._ "

" _Love would be a good topic._ " 

" _Yeah, go with that._ " 

" _Okay._ " 

" _Go on. We don't have all day._ "

Tony sits down and goes through the cassette tapes, picking out the ones labelled 'Awesome Mix Vol. 1' and 'Awesome Mix Vol. 2', thinking them important if they're labelled and the rest aren't. 

Thor goes through a magazine lying on one of the chairs. " _Tony, you should know. You could never hurt me. You told me once, a long time ago, that you were afraid of giving me pain, especially with the whole Hanahaki thing. But even as I was coughing up my lungs and my throat was begging for solace, how my body weakened as the disease gave me a taste of the agony of hell, I felt no pain or fear… only you._ "

Tony glances out the window of the ship, seeing the containers stacked. Stephen's rests on top. Thor picks up a small pot he sees and puts it with the Awesome Mixes, connecting the pot to Groot.

" _My Iron Man who knew every equation that came to existence. Whenever I had to go back to Kamar-Taj, I visited you in my spiritual form. I would decide to leave for the night and then find myself coming right back to spend a few more minutes with you before I left for good. Because I knew if I went back once more, I would never leave._ "

Tony picks off a few stray pieces of his destroyed armor off his clothes and tosses them onto the floor. Thor finds a small knapsack that he knows could only fit someone as small as Rocket and he puts it in the stack of things to bring home.

" _I think… I think sometimes we all need a little faith. Faith in what we don't know._ "

"Something's happening," Mantis comments before she starts to disintegrate. 

Drax watches her and he calls, asking for a solution to what Quill doesn't know how to solve, "Quill?" 

Quill sees his family break into ash and he sighs, so tired, "Oh, man."

" _And I know how terrifying that is. To have faith in what we don't know. What could possibly happen?_ "

Okoye feels tears roll down her cheeks as her king disintegrates into ash, scattered across the green of the forest by the wind. Her king is once again, dead. Shuri watches from the tower and when she sees her brother fade, she screams, slamming her fists on the glass as she slides down, sobbing as her fingertips turn to ash.

" _I saw the future, Tony, and I will tell you what happens when you have faith. I saw you fight by my side fourteen million, six hundred and five times. In the few ones where we win, it's either you or me who lives._ "

"Sam?" Rhodey calls, not realizing that Sam has disappeared right behind him.

" _Wait, you didn't say that. Strange_ —"

" _And I'm telling you now, that I am letting you live. Because I have faith in you, I have faith that the knowledge of you surviving this will be better than anything I will face when I am gone._ "

Loki's body drops in front of Thor who screams in anguish, gripping Loki's clothes tightly as he sobs into his brother's still chest.

" _Hey, Strange, wait. What's —_ "

" _Because I love you._ "

Steve falls to his knees the moment he sees Bucky crumble away into ash right in front of him. Before Thor can say anything in reaction or comfort, Steve breaks into an agonizing scream, collapsing onto the ground and burying his head in Bucky's ashes.

" _And love is not an emotion, it is a choice that you make again and again._ "

"I am Groot," Groot says weakly, extending an arm towards Rocket as he fades away. 

Rocket's walk turns into a hopeless stumble as he whispers, "No." 

His stumbling becomes standing, which becomes collapsing as he lets out an anguished sob. Groot had just called him 'Dad'.

" _And I will choose you every time._ "

"Luke! Fuck, no. Stay with me. Hey!" Jessica shouts, cupping Luke's face as she smacks his cheek in a futile attempt to make him stop disintegrating. Matt stands solemnly and Danny looks away out of respect. 

Luke smiles and places a gentle hand over hers as Jessica's tears stain his fingers, "I love you, and I'm glad it's me and not you." Jessica's free hand takes Luke's other one and she cries into it, feeling vulnerable for the first time in so long.

" _Because I love you and I always will._ "

"It's okay," Vision says softly. 

Wanda chokes on her sobs as her magic destroys him bit by bit, the yellow gem on his forehead cracking under her power. Thanos throws her friends out of his way as he nears her and she puts in more power. 

Vision's face contorts in pain before he gives her a faint smile, "You could never hurt me. I love you."

" _You once had an arc reactor on your chest and people thought you had no heart. I have seen you in the present, Tony. You are all the proof that Tony Stark has a heart. Because you are everything good in this world that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. You have gone through things that nobody should ever have to go through._ "

"Dad, I don't feel so good," Peter sobs, feeling his body repair itself as it falls apart. He collapses into Tony's arms, desperately begging, "I don't want to go. Please, Dad, I don't want to go." 

Tony attempts to comfort him before Peter becomes too weak to stand, falling onto the ground as he whispers, "I'm sorry." He can barely look at Tony.

" _But you always come out of it a good man._ "

Tony rocks his hand close to his chest, his fingers coated with Stephen and Peter's ashes. The orange sky is harsh, but the blue butterflies are gentle.

" _Willing to do anything for the world. Even if it means having to hurt the ones you love._ ”

"I love you," Quill whispers, shutting his eyes as he painfully pulls the trigger. Bubbles emerge from it instead of blasts and Quill's heart drops as he realizes that he has failed in keeping his promise to Gamora. He'd spent all that time struggling with the gun to have his failure slap him across the face as he watches powerlessly when Thanos takes Gamora away.

" _You may not be the perfect hero_ …"

Steve glances up at the sky as Natasha puts an arm around his shoulders comfortingly. Steve is still grieving, his tears drying on his cheeks against the taunting daylight.

“… _but you are a good man._ "

Thor rests a hand on Tony's shoulder as he weeps into his ash-stained hands. Thor lets a few tears of his own fall as he recalls everyone he has lost. Tony leans into Thor's side as he lets out a pain-stricken sob and Thor can only silently pray.

" _Have faith in the future, Tony. I love you. I will see you in the stars._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I know the star/Stormbreaker didn’t “show” Thor anything, it’s just for plot purposes lmao


	7. strange mix, vol. 1

_ Hey Stark: _

_I offered to make your boyfriend a mixtape but he asked me to make it for you instead so this is it._

_ I know you'll love it because Strange loves you. _

_ He's a keeper. _

_ \- Star-Lord_

* * *

  1. **somebody to love**  —  _queen_
  2. **annie's song**  —  _john denver_
  3. **strange magic** _— electric light orchestra_
  4. **fooled around and fell in love**  —  _elvin bishop_
  5. **bring it on home to me**  —  _sam cooke_
  6. **here comes the sun**   _— the beatles_
  7. **brandy (you're a fine girl)**  —  _looking glass_
  8. **you said that last night**  —  _the apples in stereo_
  9. **escape (the piña colada song)**  —  _rupert holmes_
  10. **time is on my side**  —  _irma thomas_
  11. **twist and shout**  —  _the beatles_
  12. **love of my life** — _queen_
  13. **can't help falling in love**  —  _elvis presley_
  14. **to: tony**  —  _star-lord & doctor strange_



* * *

**QUILL:** Come on, man. If I make the whole mixtape, it's not gonna be sincere for you. Just record something for him. Anything.

**STRANGE:** _[laughs]_ Okay. Hey, Tony. Quill insisted I record something for you, so here I am. I know things are hard now. I might not even be here.

**QUILL:** Doc, come on. It's been a long day. I'm sure that's the last thing he wants to hear. I know if Gamora recorded something for me and she said that, I wouldn't like it. Talk some sappy shit or something.

**STRANGE:** Love would be a good topic.

**QUILL:** Yeah, go with that.

**STRANGE:** Okay.

**QUILL:** Go on. We don't have all day.

**STRANGE:** Tony, you should know. You could never hurt me. You told me once, a long time ago, that you were afraid of giving me pain, especially with the whole Hanahaki thing. But even as I was coughing up my lungs and my throat was begging for solace, how my body weakened as the disease gave me a taste of the agony of hell, I felt no pain or fear... only you. My Iron Man who knew every equation that came to existence. Whenever I had to go back to Kamar-Taj, I visited you in my spiritual form. I would decide to leave for the night and then find myself coming right back to spend a few more minutes with you before I left for good. Because I knew if I went back once more, I would never leave. I think... I think sometimes we all need a little faith. Faith in what we don't know. And I know how terrifying that is. To have faith in what we don't know. What could possibly happen? I saw the future, Tony, and I will tell you what happens when you have faith. I saw you fight by my side fourteen million, six hundred and five times. In the few ones where we win, it's either you or me who lives.

**QUILL:** Wait, you didn't say that. Strange —

**STRANGE:** And I'm telling you now, that I am letting you live. Because I have faith in you, I have faith that the knowledge of you surviving this will be better than anything I will face when I am gone.

**QUILL:** Hey, Strange, wait. What's —

**STRANGE:** Because I love you, and love is not an emotion, it is a choice that you make again and again. And I will choose you every time. You once had an arc reactor on your chest and people thought you had no heart. I have seen you in the present, Tony. You are all the proof that Tony Stark has a heart. Because you are everything good in this world that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. You have gone through things that nobody should ever have to go through, but you always come out of it a good man. Willing to do anything for the world. Even if it means having to hurt the ones you love. You may not be the perfect hero, but you are a good man. Have faith in the future, Tony. I love you. I will see you in the stars.

**End Audio.**

**Replay?**

**[Yes]**

**Replaying.**


	8. strange mix, vol. 2

_ To the love of my life: _

_I know it was Quill who made that mixtape, but I wanted to make one for you._

_I know old music is great, genius even, but we should claim some modern music for ourselves._

_ Because we're absolutely timeless. _

_I bet you hated that joke. Well, I don't care. You still love me._

_ \- Tony _

* * *

  1. **house of cards** — tyler shaw
  2. **hunger** — florence + the machine
  3. **you're still the one (cover)** — the maine
  4. **armor** — landon austin
  5. **everglow** — coldplay
  6. **hold on** — overstreet
  7. **heroine** — sleeping with sirens
  8. **this town**  — niall horan
  9. **free like you make me** — cary brothers
  10. **the end of all things** — panic! at the disco
  11. **you** **are** **the** **reason** — calum scott
  12. **not about angels** — birdy
  13. **to: stephen**  — tony stark



* * *

**STARK:** Right. Where do I begin?

**ODINSON:** You could start with how you feel? What he meant to you?

**STARK:** Okay, that. I'll start with that. Stephen, you have become the most important part of my life since you first fought with me, back during the so-called civil war.

**ODINSON:** That I didn't even get to be a part of.

**STARK:** Not now, Thor.

**ODINSON:** Right, yes. Continue.

**STARK:** Both times we fought Rogers, you have protected me even when it served you no benefit. Just FYI, I can take care of myself. 

**ODINSON:** _[laughs]_

**STARK:** _[joking]_ Thor, shut it. Okay, I heard your message, the one you recorded with Quill. And I just wanted to say that I don’t plan on letting you down. I will take down Thanos. Your death won’t be in vain. Thor says he thinks you guys are trapped in the Soul Stone and I hope that is true. I’ll do you proud. Okay? I will. _[pause]_ Yes. Um, you said I'm the proof I had a heart. You're wrong.

**ODINSON:** What do you mean?

**STARK:** Stephen. Stephen is all the proof that Tony Stark has a heart. Because he taught him how to love again, to care about someone who isn't me. Peter has been amazing too. I love you both and I still do, wherever you are. You told me to have faith. I have faith you'll come back to me someday. I'll undo everything Thanos did, I swear to you.

**ODINSON:** If that is all, I will turn off the recording device.

**STARK:** One more thing. Thank you. For everything you've done the past almost three years. I love you. I'll see you soon.

**End Audio.**

**Are you sure you want to replay the track, Stephen?**

 


	9. additional notes

_Will there be a sequel?_

— Possibly. I had one written/planned, but I felt that the content would be a bit too triggering for some people so I scrapped the idea. If a sequel was to be made, it will probably be written when Avengers 4 finally starts showing.

— Edit: There is now a sequel posted! It’s titled ‘hold on (to me)’. You can find it on my page or get the link to it from the next chapter.

_The ending of Strange Mix Vol. 2 : is Stephen still alive?_

— Yes, and so is everyone else. They’re in the Soul Stone living out their own personal hells (though that may change depending on A4’s plot.)

* * *

If you wanna talk (and I _always_ want to talk about it) or wanna ask me something about the fic, you can tweet/dm me at @70squill or ask me on my curiouscat (link in my twitter’s description!)

My Twitter also has social media AUs for Ironstrange and Thorquill, if that interests you!

Thank you for reading this book!


	10. the sequel: hold on (to me)

The sequel is up!

Both BITWC and HO(TM) share the same canon. They are not separate stories. They will continue the story (my version of Endgame basically. Let’s see how much I get wrong.)

Here is the link to ‘hold on (to me)’: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17463971/chapters/41125064

I hope you like it and support it!

 

— Rene


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